The science is clear: to stop the worst effects of the climate crisis, we need to stop burning fossil fuels. That means our energy system needs to change. But lots of people don’t know how it works, what the energy “transition” looks like, or the pros, cons and risks involved.
In our annual supporter surveys, we have heard feedback asking for this kind of information. This series aims to give you the basics of the energy system and highlight examples of where it is—and isn’t—working.
We’ll explain how the energy transition must not repeat the fossil fuel industry’s past injustices. We will also show how we can take the power away from mega-corporations and put it back in the hands of the people. Keeping hope alive through challenging times means learning together and sharing stories of things that work, all over the world.
Welcome to the first instalment of our Solutions Series: Wind power.
Wind farms in Franklin County, Iowa. Original image from Carol M. Highsmith’s America, Library of Congress collection. Digitally enhanced by rawpixel.
The Basics
Wind power is a key technology in the energy transition away from fossil fuels. It is the second leading source of renewable energy,1 behind hydropower. Unlike burning fossil fuels, wind farms produce no emissions once they’re up and running. The only emissions they produce are as they are built.
Wind energy is created using wind turbines on land or in shallow water – many turbines together make wind farms. The turbines have large blades mounted on a rotor, which captures the wind’s energy to spin a generator, making electricity.
As the wind doesn’t always blow, wind farms must work together with energy storage. Big batteries or pumped hydro store energy created by wind turbines. When the electricity grid needs energy the most, it is released.
Wind power in the transition
Wind energy is growing fast as an energy source. Cautious predictions estimate wind power will produce nine times more electricity in 2050 than in 2022.2
But to prevent the worst impacts of climate change, we need more wind power, sooner. The world will need to generate at least 18% more wind energy than we currently produce every year by 2030.3
As of 2022, the wind industry employs more than 1.4 million people worldwide. This is roughly 10% of the 13.7 million jobs across all forms of renewable energy globally.4
Justice and wind
Wind turbines are a perfect energy solution in many ways, however, there are still issues that we must (and can!) tackle as part of a just transition to renewable energy.
Although many parts are now recyclable and long-lasting,5 the rising demand for key metals is far from perfect. Serious human rights abuses such as child labour and land grabbing have been reported in sourcing the metals. Environmental defenders also face repression and violence.
To avoid replicating the injustices of the fossil fuel industry we must do better than they did. Communities must be properly consulted, the most transparent human and environmental rights upheld, and we must hold the renewables industry accountable to international law.
We know the downsides to burning fossil fuels – it wrecks our climate and poisons our lungs. In contrast, we can avoid most of the negative impacts of wind with equitable regulations and good practices in place.6 This is what we must strive for to build a world that prioritises people, communities, and nature.
Want to take a bit more of a deep dive into this topic? Check out our Wind Explainer here.
Sources:
1. Renewables 2023 – Electricity – IEA
2. Wind – Statistics and Insights – DNV
3. Net Zero by 2050 – A Roadmap for the Global Energy Sector – IEA
4. Energy and Jobs – IRENA
5. How can companies recycle wind turbine blades? – Chemical and Engineering News
6. Responsible mineral supply chains – OECD