The best images have been selected in five regional categories (Europe, Americas, Asia, Africa and Australasia) as well as an overall global winner.

“The winning picture is clearly taken at a crucial moment in the installation of a new wind turbine” says Julian Scola, Communication Director of the European Wind Energy Association.

Global winner Joan Sullivan is overwhelmed with the selection of her photo which she says is one of her all time favorites and tell us: “In 2005, during a family vacation in Ireland, I photographed my first wind turbine, and something just went off in my head, like a lightbulb, that this is my calling…I have dedicated my second 50 years to documenting the rapid expansion of wind and other forms of renewable energy in the context of climate change. I hope that my photographs will contribute positively to the global dialogue about the inevitable transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.”

The fascination with the technology and wind energy, is evident in all of the 1,000 submissions EWEA and the GWEC got for the competition ‘Discover the stories behind wind energy’. EWEA and GWEC have received entries from 67 countries all around the world, from Greenland to India, Barbados to Thailand, and Costa Rica to Ukraine.

The winners were chosen by a jury consisting of Mark Edwards (Hard Rain Project), Erik Luntang (Inspirit), Robert van Waarden (freelance photographer) and Simon Bogle (Recharge) and will receive Amazon vouchers as well as have their photographs featured in the magazine Recharge and EWEA’s magazine, Wind Directions.

‘With this year’s photo competition, we have been particularly impressed with the number of entries and with the wide geographical spread of submissions. It matches the spread of wind energy as a symbol of a clean and sustainable future  and shows that the technology has an  aesthetic value in itself’ said Julian Scola, Communication Director at the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA).

The post And the winner is…. appeared first on Global Wind Day.

Children from local schools in Ankara had submitted brightly coloured paintings showing what wind can do – from blowing kites high in the sky to making boats sail. Their proud mums and dads looked on and took photos as their offspring – dressed in their finest – received their awards from Turkish Energy Minister Yildiz. The winner of the photo competition had gone for a far more haunting and mysterious black and white image of numerous hot air balloons rising above the clouds.

On Global Wind Day itself the action continues in Turkey as a bus-load of people is making the overnight journey from Ankara up to Izmir on the Aegean coast to visit Turkey’s first wind farm and tour Enercon and Vestas factories.

Global Wind Day is the worldwide annual day for discovering wind energy and what it can do.

Find out what is going on near you by having a look at the interactive map.

The post Turks of all ages united by Global Wind Day appeared first on Global Wind Day.

By Jessica Anania

The countdown to Global Wind Day marks more than just a wait for a fun-filled day spent outside discovering wind energy. It is also a chance for the public, politicians, and industry officials to discuss wind energy and its benefits, sharing ideas, exchanging opinions, and deepening their knowledge and understanding along the way.

Across Europe, wind farms are open, wind energy is the theme of festivals and wind energy information points will be set up across the continent from Lisbon to Warsaw.

In Denmark, Folkemødet, an annual political conference of over 30,000 participants and 1,300 events spanning four days, coincides with Global Wind Day.

“For the Danish Wind Industry Association (DWIA), Folkemødet was the obvious place to incorporate Global Wind Day due to the nature of Folkemødet and the philosophy of Global Wind Day, where it is about bringing knowledge of wind to the public,” stated Anders Mika Dalegaard, Head of Events at DWIA.

Folkemødet will feature bus tours to wind turbines followed by an in-depth discussion in which DWIA Chairman Henning Kruse among others will speak with the public about wind energy.

“We hope that people get a better understanding of modern wind power technology and its opportunities and challenges. We also hope people will realise that wind power is not about industry forcing an agenda, but that it is something that they within the Danish framework can take part in, affect and benefit from,” said Dalegaard.

Such debate will take place not just in Denmark, but worldwide. In Uruguay, Global Wind Day will be celebrated at a political conference and exhibition designed to encourage political dialogue.

The event will be attended by Uruguay’s leading authorities, including the President of the Republic, the Minister of Energy. Event coordinator for the Uruguayan Association of Wind Energy, Patricia Rampoldi, describes the event as focusing on the current status of wind power technology, regulations, and experience, not just in Uruguay, but globally.

According to Rampoldi, the event is designed to generate information, greater knowledge of energy, and promote contacts amongst those involved.

With Global Wind Day only days away, now is the time to get involved. Attend an event, coordinate an event, take action online by telling a G8 leader to switch from fossil fuels to renewables or just strike up a conversation about wind energy with the chap sitting next to you on the train. Global Wind Day is about promoting the discussion of and understanding of wind power. Join in and find out about the possibilities wind power holds to change our world.

The post Global Wind Day is this Saturday! appeared first on Global Wind Day.

With Global Wind Day 2013 taking place this weekend, we’re continuing the ‘wind energy stories’ series as Robert van Waarden travels to Thailand to explore low-wind solutions.

“I know that 70% of the area in the world has a low wind speed. I thought, if we want to promote the wind machine, 70% is a lot of the world,” Dr. Roy said.

Dr. Wirachai Roynarin or (Dr. Roy as he is more commonly known), is a Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering at RMUTT in Bangkok and owner of Prapai Technologies, a company that specialises in low wind-speed turbines. He grew up in a small farming family, where he learned to respect the land, before going to England to study. He returned to Thailand believing he could help his country and he set his sights on the wind.

He is excited about the prospects for wind energy in Thailand, but insists that it must be done correctly. A few years ago, during the fuel crisis in Thailand, wind energy suddenly became popular. Companies began importing and installing wind turbines that were largely not suitable for the low wind speeds of Thailand.

“When they bring from abroad, they look like a monument, they don’t rotate. Until a storm comes and then they rotate. They are not designed for most of our region,” says Dr. Roy.

A solution lies in low speed, decentralised wind turbines he says. Wind turbines that can be put anywhere and are small, light structures, like ants feeding the grid. The first major project of Prapai is the King’s Wind Farm. A 200kw wind park made up of 20 individual 10kw wind turbines. The park is about 100m square and located in the village where the King of Thailand spends his summers. The King himself supported the construction and the electricity is directed to the community and the grid. It has been deemed a success, although not without difficulties. Dr. Roy and his team have had to grapple with earthquakes and monsoon gusts. When I visited the site, workers were busy in the 42°C heat repairing three turbines that were damaged by a recent monsoon.

The wind farm was developed on a previously dry, deserted field and for Dr. Roy this is very important. “The most important thing we have is the forest. We need to protect the forest.” he says. “Why do you have to destroy the forest and the fresh water to put the wind machine on a mountain? You can put a 10kw wind machine anywhere in Thailand, you don’t have to cut the tree, you can put wherever you want. You can put it in front of your home, in front of your office. It isn’t tall, it is 18m, it is nice, it is lovely, you can decorate it, and you get energy.”

Dr. Roy is quick to counter any suggestion that his motives are strictly business led. He suggests that he wouldn’t mind if you closed Prapai Technologies and didn’t order his product. Just make sure that the product you do use is suitable for the wind speeds and country of Thailand.

“My wind machine maybe are not the perfect machine in the world,” says Dr. Roy “but I know that they are good machine in this world, because they are not made for business, they are made from the heart.”

Led by Dr. Roy, low wind-speed development could take off. But will Thailand recognise the benefits of the only wind turbines made in Thailand for Thailand?

The post Low wind technology key to success in Thailand appeared first on Global Wind Day.

Global Wind Day – you may have heard of it, or you may be one of the 21,000 people who have “liked” Global Wind Day’s facebook page, but what is it all about? It’s a day for taking the energy debate – switching to renewables from fossil fuels, supporting wind power – out of the realm of policy and in to the real world. In short, Global Wind Day is the international annual day for discovering wind power.

How does a wind turbine work? How much power does the wind farm located near me produce? Why should I support wind power over fossil fuels? These are the types of questions and more that you could find the answer to on Global Wind Day.

How? By attending one of the many events – from wind farm open days to exhibitions and fairs – across the globe, by taking part in our call to G8 leaders to switch to renewables and phase out support for fossil fuels, or by simply browsing our global wind energy FAQs and our Europe wind energy factsheet.

A snapshot of Global Wind Day activities – Brussels and Spain

From next Monday 3 June to 15 June, winners and runners up in the Global Wind Day photo competition will have their photos displayed in the European Parliament. Here is a snapshot of the exhibited photos…

Meanwhile, in Spain from 3-15 June you might notice the special Global Wind Day lottery tickets. Some five million special tickets will be printed, in association with ONCE – the Spanish association for blind people, and the lottery will be drawn on Global Wind Day itself.

More wind energy stories

The post Global Wind Day 2013 – What is it all about? appeared first on Global Wind Day.

Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change

Figueres added “the extensive and scaled-up deployment of wind energy and other forms of renewable energy needs to play a central role in this transformation. By providing the right conditions and incentives, policy-makers at all levels can harness the potential of the wind sector, whilst ensuring its environmental integrity. This can in turn provide a policy impetus for stronger climate action all round at national and international level, including in the negotiations towards a new 2015 global climate agreement,” said UNFCC Executive Secretary Figueres in Bonn.

Irish presidency of the Council of the EU

Global Wind Day is supported by the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU.Irish Ambassador to the European Union  Tom Hanney says: “We have a lot of wind sweeping over the country given our geographical location. An increasing amount of our energy is produced from wind. We are committed to reaching our renewable energy targets under EU energy policy and we will be a net wind exporter. Overall, wind is a very important resource for Ireland and an increasing one, so therefore we support Global Wind Day”.

The post UN and Irish Presidency support Global Wind Day appeared first on Global Wind Day.

High on a wind turbine, hidden amongst the cherry orchards and the wheat fields of Eastern Czech Republic, is a painting of a raven with a piece of bread in its mouth. The prophet St. Elias the Tishbite was kept alive by ravens feeding him bread when he was hidden in the desert. This is the St. Elias wind turbine and it belongs to the Pravoslavná Akademie Vilémov, a non-profit Orthodox NGO specialised in renewable energy.

“Everything was given to us by God to survive,’ says Roman Juriga, director of the Akademie, “that includes the energy and the capacity to create energy, that is why we have named our turbine St. Elias.”

Roman Juriga is a devout member of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia. He grew up in communist Czechoslovakia as an atheist as ordered by state decree. Outspoken and anti-communist, secretly he studied English, and secured entrance to an international English school. Joining the Orthodox Church, he was encouraged by leaders to attend University to study theology. He objected: the government knew he was anti-communist and if they discovered him studying, he would be thrown out. The Church offered its protection. Luckily, just as the authorities got wind of his studying, the 1989 Velvet Revolution happened and communism in Czechoslovakia disintegrated.

After successfully completing his education, Juriga established the Akademie, with the support of the church and Orthodox Monastery, in the little village of Vilemov. Through small scale solar, wind, and hydro power, the Akademie educates children and adults about renewable energy and climate change. The reaction has been incredibly positive from all groups, especially the secondary school students. Many of them say that the information provided by the Akademie disagrees with the information provided to the schools by the Temelin Nuclear Plant. They say that the nuclear industry refers to renewables as unsafe, expensive and unimportant. Juriga likes to point out that on his tour guests visit the actual installations, whereas at the nuclear plant guests only visit the presentation centre for safety reasons.

Members of the Monastery and village are very proud of their renewable energy. Additionally, several new solar thermal installations that were inspired by the Akademie have sprung up in the community. The Akademie offers free consultancy on renewable energy for other churches and church-related NGOs. All this is made possible from the revenue from the 100kW St. Elias turbine.

Juriga has been instrumental in shining some light on the complicated world of clean energy bureaucracy in the Czech Republic. The approval process for small energy production is very difficult to navigate. Complicated submission procedures and reams of paper work protect the vested interests of fossil fuels, politicians and corporations. Juriga has become something of an expert in negotiating the submissions process and his successes have become examples and inspirations for others across the Czech Republic.

Wind energy in the Czech Republic is lagging compared to Western Europe. However, Juriga believes that it is a natural progression for a church to move in the direction of small-scale energy production and that it is essential to the development of a post-carbon world. He also believes that as the Czechs look to Germany and see the rapid deployment of renewable energy, the future will look different in the Czech Republic.

The post Orthodox community embraces renewable energy in the Czech Republic appeared first on Global Wind Day.

By Fran Witt, Renewable World

One kilowatt may not seem like a lot – some heaters in the West use this much energy every hour. But in Songambele, Tanzania, comparatively little energy is going a long way.

Renewable World, the UK based charity who work to provide renewable energy to remote communities in the developing world, is helping the off-grid community of Songambele to power itself out of poverty.

Climate change has impacted its 21,000 inhabitants, with crops becoming increasingly difficult to grow, resulting in adults and children working longer hours for smaller wages. Today, power provided by a new wind turbine is being used to improve crop yields directly by pumping water for irrigation. This enables children to spend more time at school and provides both time and opportunities for adults to expand their skill-sets.

Together with Tanzanian partners ALIN, and local wind power firm Wind Power Serengeti, Renewable World has established a wind/solar hybrid system which powers a Maarifa (information technology) Centre.  In addition to solar panels, a 1kw wind turbine has been installed to power the Centre, to provide additional power for productive uses, such as access to modern information technology services. The 12 metre tall horizontal axis turbine is locally produced and is designed to cut in at low wind speeds. It produces an average of 3kwH of energy per day.

Engineer Arthur Karomba, from Wind Power Serengeti, installed the system’s wind turbine: ‘All that was needed here was a turbine. This part of Tanzania is excellent for wind power. It is also good for solar power, and we were able to combine the two. We have a battery, to which the turbine is connected, and between the wind and solar power there is enough for the Centre, and to be stored for use across the community.’

Local skills are used in the maintenance and management of the turbine, using and developing knowledge and experience which already exists, and which can be passed on through the community, and from generation to generation.

Mr Karomba said: ‘Because of its rotating blades, the turbine needs to be taken down once every six months for maintenance. It’s guaranteed for a year, but we are also training people to make and build turbines.”

The system is economically viable in the long-term for the community, and is resulting in an improvement in education and training, regular employment and income for families.  The Maarifa Centre provides ICT training and information about the latest crop-growing methods. Other activities and opportunities include a barber-shop, phone charging and a shop selling agricultural equipment.

Renewable World hopes that while the turbine quietly transforms people’s lives in Songambele, the community will noisily promote its effects.

Find out how you can support Renewable World’s Songambele project through the Global Wind Day action here: www.renewable-world.org/GlobalWindDay

The post A little wind power goes a long way appeared first on Global Wind Day.

The post Take action for renewables appeared first on Global Wind Day.

by Robert van Waarden

Roşu Nuţi

Mayor of Progresu and Fácáeni

Romania

Population: 7200

Roşu Nuţi was born in Progresu and has been the mayor here for 10 years. Her ambitious spirit is apparent the moment she walks in a room and if you need proof of how hard she works, one glance at her overflowing desk should help.
When Roşu first heard about the plan to construct a 44 turbine wind farm in the community, she immediately saw the benefits. However, as is always the case with something new in a community, there was some confusion and pessimism among the citizens.
Roşu spent a lot of energy organising and convincing the village that this was a good idea. Eventually they came around and ground will be broken on the project this year.
For Progresu and Fácáeni the money injected into the local economy will have a clear benefit. Infrastructure here is underdeveloped: roads are poor and horse-and-cart is still the mode of transport for many. Any local jobs that are created will be welcome in a village with an unemployment rate of 45%.
“The earth won’t be able to give us fossil fuels for eternity, and when we take into account the nuclear plant nearby, we prefer to have a field of turbines,” says Roşu.

Valentin Vrabie

Mayor of Peştera

Romania

Population: 3500

Valentin Vrabie is the most popular mayor in Romania. He was awarded a prize for best mayor in Romania and was re-elected with 95% of the vote. He has achieved this distinction not on his own, but with the help of the wind blowing through Peştera.
When wind energy developers came to Peştera, interested in building a 30 turbine farm, Valentin Vrabie seized the opportunity. He immediately opened the doors and did what he could to streamline the process. He understood that the revenue from this project could turn Peştera around.
Valentin didn’t believe that the taxes from the wind farm should go to the county office in Constanța. He successfully lobbied to have the laws changed and the taxes are now flowing into the Peştera commune coffers.
The results of this legislative change are apparent everywhere in Peştera. There is a beautiful new park, a new mosque, a new school complete with fibre optic lines and new laptops, and a renovated church. Every year large light shows and celebrations attract tens of thousands of people. All this in a period of global crisis mentions Valentin.
Valentin and the community are excited that there is another wind farm coming to Peştera this year. It will make this commune one of the richest in the country. As for Valentin, when he has finished his term in Peştera commune he has his political sights set on the county.

Beiu Ion

Mayor of Saligny

Romania

Population: 2300

Beiu Ion was the vice-mayor of Saligny,when the turbines were built. 19 in total, they stand on unused agricultural ground on a hill above the village, surely a sight prettier then the nuclear reactors over the hill in Cernavodă.
Beiu and the villagers were very supportive of the project to build the turbines when initially proposed. The construction was smooth and although there were a few small disputes, when the money started to come in, those concerns were quickly overcome.
That money, approximately €300,000 a year, goes a long way in this little community. When Beiu was elected mayor last year he inherited a community that is transforming. First on Beiu’s list is to ensure all the houses have running water and to pave the roads in Saligny. With a life span of 25 years on the wind farm, the community is looking forward to a future with the wind.

More wind energy stories

The post Three mayors, three communities, one wind appeared first on Global Wind Day.