Power from wind and water
Man has used these two renewable energy sources for a very long time. In the past windpower has been used to sail around the world and with the aid of waterpower grain has been ground in the Middle Ages. Windmills have existed for many hundred years!
Modern power generating installations are using both energy sources. There are many hydroelectric power stations which have been producing energy for many decades.
Hydroelectric power stations are good base load power stations because one can reliably predict their output. But the potential of waterpower is restricted and not all countries have enough water at their disposal. Waterpower will also in future have a stable share in renewable energy sources.
The global potential of windpower is immense. Wind farms can be built onshore as well as offshore. So called offshore-wind farms work on perfect wind conditions and they do not disturb anyone out there.
Europe is the world champion in using windpower. Installed power has already reached 25,000 megawatt (33,000 MW worldwide). This is sufficient to meet 1.6% of electricity production in Europe. Unfortunately the wind does not blow all the time and we therefore have to keep power plants in stand-by. Hydrogen can be useful to store wind power in future.
Wind power is a good example to demonstrate how dynamic the development of technologies for renewable energy sources can become once they reach profitability. In 1993 only under 200 megawatt had been installed and the prognosticated yearly growth was less than 100 megawatt up to 2015. The actual growth turned out to be 6000 megawatt per year!
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