In Denmark, modern wind turbines have been developed and used since the 1980s. Denmark resorted to the use of wind energy in order to limit their emission of carbon dioxide produced by coal-fueled power plants. In 2010, about 1/4 of the electric consumption of Denmark is by wind energy. Denmark also houses half of the biggest wind turbines in the world. It is also the home of the two largest wind turbine manufacturers and exporters.

In 2000, Samso, a town/island in Denmark attempted to be a town powered only by wind energy. It established numerous large wind turbines to supply the citizens power needs. The attempt failed to attain a 100% wind energy powered town; however, it became famous for being the largest community with the lowest carbon dioxide emission.

The attempt of Denmark in Samso sparked the drive to create more towns wherein the carbon dioxide emission is low if not, eliminated. Cities in the United States of America like New Hampshire, Los Angeles, and Oregon are gradually using more and more wind turbines to supply their power needs in order to decrease their carbon dioxide emission as well.

But wind turbines are large in size. If installed, they take up a lot of space which may have been ideal (to developers) for a residential suburb or a commercial business. Also, a lot of them must be installed to supply the power needs of the community. So, to achieve a 100% wind powered community, many business opportunity and development will have to be sacrificed.

For this reason, England has been exploring the idea of airborne wind turbines. However, studies show that it does not produce a sufficient amount of energy enough to support a wind-powered society. Some companies are also entertaining the idea of combining solar energy and wind energy. They are planning to put a solar energy saving device or structure at the top of a wind turbine to increase the eco-energy supply. Small and portable wind turbine technologies which are ideal for less energy consumption are also being produced today to save space.

It may hold true for now that a 100% wind-powered community is not possible but with the continuing research and development on wind turbine technology, the potential for such a thing is getting closer.

The total installed wind power around the world had reached 197, 039 MW by the end of last year and is expected to reach an incredible 1,750,000 MW by 2030. The wind turbine market is projected to reach $93.1 billion by 2016.

At the forefront of the industry is China, which recently passed the U.S. for total installed wind power capacity last year.

These kind of turbines are different than the ones you see off most coastal regions, as the floating wind turbines are mostly used in deep waters and are a relatively new technology that requires extensive research and development.

“In order to take the lead in offshore wind power, we want domestic studies and developments to take place and manufacturers to boost capabilities,” Trade ministry official Masanori Sato told Reuters.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Fuji Heavy Industries are among the companies Japan intends to work with to make sure that research and development is completed in time to meet the deadlines.

Bison 2 will generate 105 megawatts of power and will consist of 35 Siemens direct-drive wind turbines.

“This project demonstrates that renewable energy can be a low-cost generation option that will benefit all of our customers,” said Al Hodnik, chairman and CEO of Minnesota Power’s parent, Allete. “At the same time, it’s a logical next step that advances Allete’s growth strategy to meet the demands of an evolving energy industry.”

The National Offshore Wind Strategy: Creating an Offshore Wind Industry in the United States (pdf) unveiled by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Energy Secretary Steven Chu today in a joint press conference in Norfolk, Virginia, focuses on overcoming three key challenges: the relatively high cost of offshore wind energy; technical challenges surrounding installation, operations, and grid interconnection; and the lack of site data and experience with project permitting.

“Through the Strategic Work Plan, the United States is synchronizing new research and development initiatives with more efficient, forward-thinking planning so that we can help quickly stand up an American offshore wind industry,” said Interior Secretary Salazar.

The number of people employed full-time in the large-scale onshore and offshore wind energy industry rose to about 9,200 in 2010 from 4,800 in 2007, RenewableUK said today in an e-mailed report. Belfast Harbour plans to create 300 full-time jobs in a 40-million pound ($65-million) project to build a new quay for use by Dong Energy A/S to assemble turbines and foundations, the port and wind farm operator said today in a separate statement.

The U.K. is banking on wind energy to help meet its European Union target of deriving 15 percent of energy for electricity, heat and transportation from renewables by 2020.

But the overall growth rate was lower than the previous year for the first time in 20 years. In 2009, 38.6 GW was installed.GWEC noted that more than half of the new capacity built in 2010 came outside the traditional wind markets of Europe and North America, with China and other Asian nations witnessing a boom. China alone added 16.5 GW, to almost have the total new capacity.

The Rollins Wind Project is expected to create about 200 jobs during construction, and four local communities near the project will receive an added bonus of $785,000 a year for the next 30 years. Reed & Reed, a Maine-based contractor, has already began construction on the project and is hiring mostly Maine-based businesses and subcontractors for the project, which is expected to come online in the fall of 2011.

The wind farm will be built off the southwestern coast of South Korea will include about 500 turbines and is expected to be completed by 2019. Companies like Hyundai Heavy Industries and Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering are constructing the turbines. The government is paying for most of it, but private investors will need to finance the remainder.

The government has committed to a five-year plan that will see it investing $36 billion in renewable energy to help it to become more energy independent and to stake its claim in the renewable energy market.

The move makes Maryland the second state in the nation, after Delaware, to have reached this stage in off-shore wind development.

The closest turbines to the coast will be roughly 10 nautical miles from Ocean City
and won’t be able to be seen from the beach, according to the U.S. Department of the
Interior.

Roughly 300 spinning turbines could power about 30% of Maryland’s energy needs, according to Gov. Martin O’Malley’s administration.