Wind Energy - Germany

When looking at countries that use wind energy, Germany tops them all. The world's largest wind energy producing country, Germany has pioneered the use of wind to produce much of their electricity needs. While the countryside and area of Germany that can be used for wind energy production may seem small compared to the size of some other countries, such as the United States and Canada, Germany has managed to make the most of the area they have, incorporating wind farms into their rural areas as well as in off-shore locations.

With wind energy, Germany is able to produce 3.5 percent of their electricity needs for the country. While this may not seem like much, compared to other countries that only produce a fraction of a percent of their electricity with wind ? Germany is definitely on the right track. The country also predicts that they will be producing more and more electricity through wind energy in the years to come. For instance, in the year 2001, Germany accounted for half of the world's production of wind turbines.

Germany is also being heralded as a forefather of the wind energy revolution, because of their plan to add 5,000 wind turbines to a wind farm located off the north coast of the country. Some of the wind turbines would be located up to 45 miles out at sea, a feat never before tried by a wind energy consuming country. The wind at sea is more powerful as well, therefore Germany sees the potential to produce even more electricity by using off-shore wind farms.

The turbines being developed for use in this sea-based wind farm are much larger than conventional wind turbines, so that they will be able to fully use the wind energy that is found in the water. Germany expanded their wind powered electricity production by 44% in the time between 2001-2002, with more and more turbines being added constantly. Germany already has about 11,000 wind turbines in use. The cost of wind electricity can be as low as $.03 per KW hour, which is less than half that of the next cheapest electricity producing energy source.

While it's first in wind energy, Germany has no plans to stop there. The country plans to continue expanding their wind farms and use of renewable energy sources, which will both benefit the environment and cost less for the consumer. Other countries in Europe are starting to take notice as well, with estimates that over 50 million consumers could be receiving wind powered electricity in the next 10 years.