Global Wind Day also known as the World Wind Day is annually observed across the globe on 15 June to highlight the significance of Wind Energy, an alternative clean and renewable energy system in promoting sustainability and environmental protection, and its power.
- The Day aims to explore the potential of Wind energy to reshape the energy systems, decarbonise the economies, and boost jobs and growth.
Global Wind Day is a coordinated action annually organised by WindEurope, the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), and national renewable energy associations.
Note: The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) was rebranded as WindEurope in 2016.
Background:
i.Global Wind Day initially originated in Europe as European Wind Day organised by the EWEA in 2007.
- It is the first-ever pan-European awareness campaign promoting wind energy.
ii.In 2009, the EWEA collaborated with the GWEC, turning the Day into a global event to raise awareness about Wind Energy globally.
What is wind energy?
i.Wind energy is generated by wind turbines, a device that converts wind kinetic energy into electricity.
- It serves as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuel-based energy.
ii.A collection of wind turbines forms a wind farm, contributing electricity to the grid. These turbines can be found on land (onshore) or at sea (offshore).
Note: Wind energy stands as one of the most competitive sources globally, crucial for achieving the climate goals by limiting global warming to 1.5 Degrees Celsius (°C).
Few Benefits of Wind Energy:
Renewable and Sustainable; Environmentally Friendly; Minimise Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions; and Water Conservation.
GWEC’s Global Wind Report 2024:
i.Wind energy is now among the most cost-effective forms of energy globally.
ii.In 2023, global wind energy capacity passed the first 1 Terawatt (TW) milestone totalling 1,021 Gigawatt (GW), with a record 117 GW of new capacity installed.
- It marks a 50% Year-on-Year (Y-o-Y) increase from 2022.
iii.Offshore wind also saw significant growth in 2023, with 10.8 GW added globally.
iii.54 countries across all continents contributed to new wind power installations in 2023. China set a new record of 75 GW for installations and commissioned.The top 5 markets for new wind installations are China, US, Brazil, Germany, and India.
iv.According to the Global Wind Report 2024, as of January 2024, India ranks 4th globally in total wind installations with 45 GW of installed onshore wind capacity.
- This positions India as the second-largest wind market in the Asia-Pacific region, following China.
Note: The report outlines a significant challenge for the wind industry to triple its annual growth from 117 GW in 2023 to 320 GW by 2030 to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
Revised Growth Forecast:
i.GWEC has revised its 2024-2030 growth forecast to 1210 GW, up by 10%.
ii.This revision reflects the impact of national industrial policies, increasing offshore wind initiatives, and promising growth in emerging markets and developing economies.
Wind Energy in India:
Note: The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy(MNRE), Government of India has set the target of 500 GW of renewable energy capacities by the year 2030 and to achieve Net Zero by 2070. Wind Atlas at 150 meter above ground level was launched by the National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE) in 2023.
2024 Events in India:
i.On 15th June 2024, MNRE organised ‘Global Wind Day’ to celebrate the success of the Indian Wind Sector so far and discuss the potential way forward for accelerating wind energy adoption in India.
- The event was organised with a central theme of “Pawan–Urja: Powering the Future of India”.
- Shripad Yesso Naik, Minister of State, MNRE and Bhupinder Singh Bhalla, Secretary, MNRE were present during the event held in New Delhi, Delhi
- MoS MNRE facilitated Gujarat, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu for achieving highest wind capacity addition in India during FY 2023-24
- The event was organised in collaboration with the Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation (SSEF), Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers Association (IWTMA), Indian Wind Power Association (IWPA), Wind Independent Power Producers Associations (WIPPA) and Solar Power Developers Association (SPDA).
ii.The MNRE in collaboration with the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd. (IREDA), organised a pre-event conference for Global Wind Day in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
- The onshore wind potential of India is now estimated at 1,164 GW at 150 meters above ground level, with Odisha’s potential of 12 GW.
iii.Global Wind Day India 2024 event was jointly organised by the Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Limited (KREDL) and the Indian Power Association (IWPA) supported by the MNRE.
- K.P. Rudrappaiah, Managing Director (MD), KREDL, and U B Reddy, Vice Chairman, IWPA flagged off the ‘Run for the Wind‘ marathon for Global Wind Day 2024.
About Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC):
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)- Ben Backwell
Chairman– Jonathan Cole
Headquarters– Lisbon, Portugal
