In a giant leap toward a green energy future, Ukraine launched an important wind power project in Donetsk Region last week. Scheduled for completion in 2015, the project comprises 23 wind power plants in total of which three, each with a capacity of 2.5 MW, are complete.
The new wind-power plant in Donetsk Region will start generating electricity on February 19, the Chairman of Donetsk Region State Administration, Anatoly Blyzniuk announced.
Ukraine currently uses only 0.2 percent of its wind capacity. In a press release, the Ukraine overnors expressed their hope that the Donetsk project will become a pilot for other green energy solutions in Ukraine. The Ukrainian energy strategy foresees the increase of alternative energy generation of up to 6 percent. According to industry experts, the wind energy would be sufficient for providing 20 percent of electricity used by Ukrainians.
The wind power project can have great significance for the economic and political future of the country that has to depend on import for 60 percent of its energy needs. An increase in the wind generated energy will help the country become more self sufficient. At the same time, newly earned energy independence will help the country find a stronger foothold in the international political platform.
According to the international researchers, other developing countries have also focused on extending their wind energy capacity. According to the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), India added 2.1 GW in 2010, Brazil 326 MW, Mexico 316 MW, and North African states Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia added213 MW.
Though Ukraine is a little behind EU countries with respect to the wind power generated so far, it has made a huge progress in terms of installed wind power capacity, emerging ahead of Russia, Iceland and Switzerland, 2010 European statistics of the European Wind Energy Association revealed.
“Wind power is now rapidly expanding beyond the traditional 'rich country' markets, a clear sign of its growing competitiveness” Steve Sawyer, the secretary of the Global Wind Energy Council remarked in a statement.
Wind energy advocates like Vestas, conservation group WWF and the Global Wind Energy Council trade group have worked out a new strategy to boost greater use of the renewable energy sources. They announced at a renewable energy conference in Abu Dhabi that they are to back a new consumer product label called "WindMade".
Madhubanti Rudra is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.Edited by
Jamie Epstein
