DCTI - Windenergy V.2

7© DCTI 2009 | Volume 2 - Wind Energy The future development of renewable ener- gies strongly depends on the surrounding po- litical framework, price development of raw materials and public acceptance of alternative energy sources. While the relocation of wind turbines from onshore to offshore may seem like a viable solution, the high costs arising from the complex installation, electricity transport and maintenance slow the development of the offshore sector, which currently only accounts for one percent of global installed wind capacity. The CleanTech Study Series is not only available in print, but also free of charge in download form under www.dcti.de. The study series is only one of many instruments DCTI uses to accelerate public awareness and satisfy the demand for information in this consistently growing market. During the time of publication, DCTI also released its annual “German CleanTech Yearbook 2009.” Phillipp Wolff, CEO DCTI CHAPTERI Dear Readers, We are proud to present you with the second edition of our CleanTech Study Series, which takes a closer look at wind energy and the development of the wind industry. The posi- tive response and feedback received from our first edition on solar energy confirmed strong interest in the CleanTech sector within the economy, politics and society. The wind industry is one of the leading Clean- Tech branches. Moreover, the German wind industry is highly export-oriented. With an installed capacity of 24,000 MW by the end of 2008, Germany currently ranks in first place in the wind energy field. In 2008, wind ac- counted for 35 percent of all newly installed energy capacities across Europe. In the same year, wind energy in the US was marked by an increase of 42 percent of total installed energy capacity. Technological advancements in the wind industry have taken on an impressive deve- lopment. While wind turbines in the 1990s could only produce a maximum of two MW, modern turbines are capable of producing up to six MW.