Wind energy

Wind energy is a very important driving force for a future sustainable electricity supply. As the only real sustainable option, wind energy can take up the economic challenge of electricity generated using fossil fuels or nuclear energy. In a good land-based wind location, the modern, big wind turbines with blade diameters of up to more than 120 m (bigger than a football pitch!) achieve a competitive generation price of approximately 4 €ct/kWh. In the case of older wind turbines, in poorer locations, the kWh price rises to approximately 8-10 cents. The biggest giants will appear in new sea-based wind energy parks. The production of wind power depends on wind speed and varies in time, just as demand for electricity does. The Netherlands currently has approximately 1,450 MW of wind capacity (July 2006). There are plans for a total capacity of 7,500 MW, much of which will be built at sea. The first offshore wind park has now been delivered at Egmond aan Zee and the second one is being built. The existing electricity grid can cope with high levels of wind energy without any problems. At 7500 MW (15-20% of the Dutch electricity supply), the transmission grid on land must be reinforced at several points and it will be necessary to extend the current level of spare capacity. Europe now has more than 40,000 MW of wind capacity, which is used to produce just as much power as ten large coal-fired power stations or nuclear power stations and this is growing each year by the equivalent of approximately two big stations. Scientific knowledge in the Netherlands is of the highest level and, after a period of stagnation, new turbine builders are rapidly establishing themselves in the Netherlands, due to its excellent starting position for the offshore wind market. For example, Dutch industry is closely involved in the realisation of offshore wind parks in Ireland, England and Denmark.