影响风能利用的几种因素An_assessment_of_factors_affecting_wind_power_06.pdfVIP

IV. An assessment of factors affecting wind power Wind power has been a remarkable success story in terms of establishing itself as a mainstream energy resource. ABS has no doubt that the growth of wind power will continue and has made its short term forecast accordingly. The forecasts are short term and we are less confident about long term predictions. New information about the power delivery and environmental parameters of wind power is now becoming available from operational experience and it raises questions about the claims, the environmental benefits and costs of the technology. This information is based on the operational experience of some of the largest wind power operators. The quality of the argumentation by the wind power promoters is poor and there has been a lack of balanced analysis. A frequent response to a criticism is to declare it a “myth”. A recent study established that the UK has the highest wind resource in Europe. The British Energy Minister recently said: “This research is a nail in the coffin of some of the exaggerated myths peddled by opponents of wind power”. It does not help the case for wind power, that a government minister promotes his case with such naive language, in the face of reports from informed individuals such as the CEOs of E.ON Netz, the largest wind grid operator in the world and of Eltra in Denmark. It simply damages confidence and trivialises the issue. Reports raising critical operational issues have appeared in the USA, Germany, Denmark, Ireland and the UK. The reports from Germany are by the largest wind power market in the world, and one of the few with experience of operating a grid with a high proportion of wind in-feed. Denmark, is one of the oldest users and commonly regarded as being the world leader in developing and producing wind power plant and technology. The UK is a much smaller market but highly vocal and with a looming