Reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions is at the heart of the world’s accelerating shift from climate-damaging fossil fuels towards clean, renewable forms of energy. Wind energy forms an important part of this key environmental and energy solution.
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) presents options to speed up the deployment of wind power until 2050.
IRENА said that accelerated wind power deployment, coupled with increased electrification, could deliver one-quarter (or nearly 6.3 GT) of the annual CO₂ emission reductions needed by 2050.
Furthermore, wind power could cover more than one-third of global power needs (35%), becoming the world’s foremost generation source.
To fulfill this aim, the world’s installed wind power capacity must reach 6 000 GW – over 10 times the current level – by 2050. This would include 5 000 GW of onshore wind and 1 000 GW of offshore wind. Asia is poised to become the world’s dominant wind market, accounting for more than 50% of onshore and 60% of offshore wind installations by 2050.
The resulting transformation could bring socio-economic benefits. The global wind industry drives the creation of new jobs and could employ over six million people worldwide by 2050, compared to about one million currently.
