BWEA announces list of projects to open for annual celebration
by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
BWEA, UK ’s leading renewable energy association, has released the list of wind farms opening for the UK’s Wind Week 2009. The Scottish Renewables Forum, which is running a parallel Scottish Renewables Festival, has also announced a further list of renewable energy projects which will be open to visitors in Scotland.
UK Wind Week, the annual nationwide awareness event during which wind farms open doors to members of the public, attracted 20,000 visitors in 2008. The typical event combined a family-themed day out hosted at a wind farm, with an opportunity to find out how wind energy works in practice. The list of events can be accessed here: http://www.embracewind.com/.
Maria McCaffery, BWEA Chief Executive said: “The UK Wind Week has established itself as an opportunity for all those who support wind energy, or are curious about this exciting technology, to find out first hand why there is such enthusiasm about further wind deployment both in the UK and world-wide.”
Polls consistently show strong support for further wind energy deployment in the UK. A 2008 BERR survey on attitudes to renewables showed that only 7% of people in this country oppose further developments, with the vast majority strongly in favour. The series of events in June will highlight the progress the UK is making in renewable energy and the public support that drives this change.
This year Wind Week coincides with Global Wind Day, an ambitious initiative to raise awareness of the benefits of wind energy across the globe, as the total global installed wind capacity moves beyond 120GW, or enough energy to power 70 million homes.
“The partnership between the inaugural Scottish Renewables’ Festival and the UK Wind Week demonstrates the UK wide strength in green energy and I am sure will inspire the tens of thousands that will visit renewable energy projects ranging from Shetland to Cornwall . Whether it’s supporting your local wind farm or thinking about what can be done at home I am sure the UK wide celebration will help galvanize a quiet revolution in sustainable energy”, said Jason Ormiston, the Chief Executive of Scottish Renewables.
"WWF supports BWEA's UK Wind Week 2009”, stated David Norman, Director of Campaigns at WWF-UK, “and encourages everyone to get along to their nearest wind farm event to learn more about this clean, non-polluting energy source. Wind energy has a critical role to play in helping us tackle climate change by cutting emissions from energy generation. It is important that as a nation we give our support to the UK wind industry so we can keep the lights on, reduce our reliance on expensive fossil fuel imports and dramatically cut our carbon emissions."
The British Wind Energy Association is the trade and professional body for the UK wind and marine renewables industries. Formed in 1978, and with 476 corporate members, BWEA is the leading renewable energy trade association in the UK . Wind has been the world's fastest growing renewable energy source for the last seven years, and this trend is expected to continue with falling costs of wind energy and the urgent international need to tackle CO2 emissions to prevent climate change.
The organization's primary purpose is to promote the use of wind power in and around the UK, both onshore and offshore. The BWEA acts as a central point for information for their membership and as a lobbying group to promote wind energy and marine renewables to government. They research and find solutions to current issues and generally act as the forum for the UK wind industry, and have an annual turnover in excess of one million pounds.
For the full list of UK events during the week of 13th to the 21st of June 2009 go to http://www.embracewind.com/
For more information on the Scottish Renewable Festival go to http://www.renewablesfestival.com/
© 2009
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A WEEK TO CELEBRATE WIND ENERGY
