World Wide Wind Turbine Shortage
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 07.17.07
This story of a worldwide shortage of wind turbines parallels what started happening in early 2006 with a worldwide shortage of the silicon ingots needed for manufacture of solar photovoltaic cells. "A worldwide shortage of wind-turbines has been caused by a sudden surge in demand and the frenzied industrial growth of China creating delivery delays that could take years to rectify. Plans to cut carbon dioxide emissions and meet more of Britain's energy needs by an expansion of offshore wind farms have had to be revised, because experts now believe the chances of building them before 2010 at the earliest is unlikely."
"'There is a worldwide shortage of wind turbines,' said Dr Gordon Edge, director of economics and markets at the British Wind Energy Association, who claimed that a recent series of tax credits introduced in the US for the American wind power industry had sparked a construction boom...'The US industry is going hell for leather at the moment and relying on imports of wind turbines from Europe."
Did GE miss the demand curve, or are we missing something? Loans for wind projects: diverting temporarily to what, solar projects?
Ethanol too is looking a bit stranded in overshoot mode, with fear of driving up food prices adding concerns. Where does the big money for renewables go, then, for the next three years?
Via:: The Guardian Unlimited, Observer Image credit:: LIC Engineering, Monopile base for offshore turbine.
If only there existed somewhere massive unused industrial infrastructure, perfectly suited to the assembly and distribution of large complicated machinery. But, all we have here in Michigan is some abandoned car factories and overgrown rail spurs.
It almost makes me wish that somewhere in the US, someone was actually planning some small part of our economy. Energy seems like a good candidate. Instead we get half-baked plans that serve as coal and oil industry wishlists.
Wow, that is an excellent point.
There's also a worldwide carbon fiber shortage, (driven by demand in the aircraft and military sectors) that is contributing to this problem. The blades for most wind turbines are made from carbon fiber, and the supply is projected to be constrained for some time to come.
Once upon a time the US was the world leader in Solar and wind power. Then we slashed research funding, ended the rebate programs and turned up the thermostat.
We gave the industry away. We could get it back, but that would take work.
Just wondering what is so evil about nuclear energy? So readily available, reliable and cheap.