Wind Turbine Market Opportunities

For the last ten years worldwide wind turbine sales have grown approximately 29% annually. Wind power is now the world's fastest growing source of energy.  For the next twenty years it is expected to expand at double-digit rates.  Thus far conventional, propeller-type "horizontal axis" wind turbines (HAWTs) have served this demand. By the end of 2007, over 90,000 megawatts of wind turbines had been installed worldwide.  In 2008, this is expected to increase by almost 30% again. In 2015, $100+ billion in wind turbines could be sold and shipped around the world. 

The US Dept. of Energy, the American Wind Energy Association the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and President Bush¹s administration believe that 20% of the nation's electricity can come from renewable wind energy within the next twenty years. This would result in cumulative wind turbine sales of over $250 billion.  In Denmark, wind energy already produces 20% of its national grid.  The EWEA has set a target to increase electricity supplies in Europe with wind energy from 3% today to 23% by 2030 and believes that eventually 50% of the European grid can be supplied by wind energy.

Wind energy growth is being driven by numerous factors; not least of which is the realization that oil and natural gas supplies are peaking while demand continues to rise.  The reality of global warming and pollution caused by the use of oil and coal will continue to drive higher the price of these supply options as governments lessen the subsidies hidden in their use.  Most hydropower locations were fully exploited long ago. Nuclear power is a very expensive way to produce power. The supply of uranium is limited, and it has widespread opposition because of its risk for terrorist attack or use, and its radioactive pollution problems.  So the world's focus is on clean renewable resources, of which wind energy is the most competitive.

One of the most compelling reasons why wind turbines are expect to continue their strong growth rate for decades to come is that their cost per kWh of energy produced is expected to be the cheapest source of energy.   Already wind energy is cheaper than new sources of conventional sources such as coal in a growing number of regions.  In the future, as costs rise for carbon based energy sources and efficiencies improve, wind energy will not need subsidies to compete. 

WHI's Windstar turbines promise to be among the lowest cost wind energy producers.  They are the only turbine that can be mass manufactured from blades to gearboxes to the steel rotor.  They can be made in existing fabrication facilities in most countries around the world. They use off-the-shelf components.   They are shipped in forty foot land-sea containers. They can be installed for half the cost of horizontal axis turbines.  They are cheaper to maintain and repair because their key parts are at ground level and easy to obtain.  They should last 30 plus years. 

Around the world, governments are taking action to advance renewable energy, especially wind.  Many states in the US have adopted a Renewable Energy Portfolio requirement that forces utilities to increase the percentage of their electrical power supply that comes from renewable resources. Wind energy is the cheapest of the options.  More and more governments are providing incentives such as the 1.9 cents per kilowatt-hour Production Tax Credit in the U.S.  An international trading program has begun on carbon and renewable energy credits, providing another source of support for wind energy. As natural gas, oil and coal prices increase and as the impacts of global warming drive political will, governments will find more ways to help shift energy supplies to renewable sources, with wind being the most advanced and least expensive alternative.

Businesses are realizing that their customers care about global warming, pollution and renewable energy.  Many "green" businesses, even major corporations, are investing in wind energy through the purchase of carbon and renewable energy credits (RECs).  Some are buying wind turbines or photovoltaics themselves, both for the marketing benefits and the long-term financial returns.  As energy prices rise, green businesses will find it profitable to invest directly into the ownership of Windstar turbines either within wind farms or on their own properties, especially as this increases customer loyalty and sales.  The biggest driving force in this market will be that ownership of Windstar turbines can realize the purchaser a reasonable profit as well as providing them a source of RECs.

More investments by government and business are being made in improving the storage of energy provided by intermittent wind and solar-based sources.  Hydrogen fuel cells, pump storage projects, compressed air generators, ultacapacitor batteries, new transmission grid connectivity, integration with hydropower and gas turbines and other efforts increase the availability and reliability of wind energy and will expand the its use where and when it is needed. Present technological trends will likely lead to a long-term future where wind provides 40% or more of the primary power resources for the world. Windstar turbines could be instrumental in providing a significant percentage of that output.