Sustainability

Sustainability of Wind Power

Wind energy is rapidly accelerating the clean energy transformation that is taking place globally, and it will be the centerpiece of the clean energy economy for decades to come.

Our wind farms support local communities through job creation, landowner payments and tax revenues.

Wind energy offers a pollution free, infinitely sustainable form of energy that can help to reduce our reliance on traditional fossil-based power generation.

A turbine has an average life expectancy of 20 to 25 years. As with any machinery, some parts may wear out and need replacement during that time, but a modern wind turbine is 98 percent reliable.

Governments around the world, including the US, Canada and other industrialized countries, are more and more recognizing the value of wind energy as a vital component of long-term, sustainable economic and environmental well-being, as well as the security of energy price and supply.

Governments are rewarding the wind industry with incentives and “green” energy programs that support long-term, affordable, efficient and clean energy from renewable resources.

At the same time, enlightened and forward-thinking energy companies have established renewable-energy business units and investment portfolios that address corporate policy and future economic sustainability, as well as financial performance.

Using reliable, proprietary data from field research, our analysis employs a capital budgeting framework to evaluate the financial economics of investments in wind energy. We find that because of the convergence of improved technology, greater efficiency, and with the increasing cost of traditional, competing sources such as oil and natural gas, wind energy is close to becoming self-sustaining financially without the extensive central government support that exists today.

Wind energy can provide the best of both worlds. It is sustainable from an environmental perspective and it is becoming sustainable financially. In short, those companies investing in wind energy will be able to do well by doing good. Perhaps the achievement of dual sustainability is true sustainability.