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2009 wind energy (wind power) capacity additions in the USA could drop to 6.5 GW in 2009 – down 24% from the record year 2008, but that 2010 could see a re-bound of 9 GW of new wind additions, and another 11 GW in 2011.

And some analysts believe that by 2020 the US could see wind power (wind energy) growth of 15.5 GW.

"The US wind industry may post its strongest year ever in 2010 when the incentive-laced economic stimulus begins to show returns and transmission build-out reaches market,” says Emerging Energy Research (EER) Senior Analyst, Matthew Kaplan.

	1	<200	<5.6
	2	200-300	5.6-6.4
	3	300-400	6.4-7.0
	4	400-500	7.0-7.5
	5	500-600	7.5-8.0
	6	600-800	8.0-8.8
	7	>800	>8.8
	*Equivalent wind speed at sea level for a Rayleigh Distribution

We paid more attention to alternative energy (renewable energy) now. Because of many reasons, many of us focus on solar energy (solar power). But it was bad news for us that the cost for using solar power (solar energy) is high.

And now there’s good news on the horizon for everyone in the market for solar photovoltaic panels: currently, demand for the sustainable energy panels is almost twice what most analysts expected, and it’s still gaining momentum.

And its demand for solar panel is expected to be twice what it is now by 2010. To prepare for this, the industry of solar power is expected to start producing solar panels and other solar-based materials at an even higher exponential rate, which in turn will drop the consumer’s price drastically.

Now we know that solar energy (solar power) panel sales were up 48% to 5.6GW in 2008, but nowadays global economic crisis will result in newly installed solar capacity reaching only 7.1GW in 2009, equivalent to a global growth rate of 26 per cent, before the strong growth resumes in 2010.

This information is according to market research firm The Information Network, which added that production of those solar panels is predominantly done in Asia. In 2008 3.3GW or 60 per cent was produced in Asia, and 1.5GW produced in Europe, and just 750MW produced in the United States.

However, while production has grown, the downturn has affected the take up of alternative energy (green energy, renewable energy) and manufacturing capacity utilisation is below 50 per cent, and similar to the semiconductor-for-IT industry.

The biomass plant is expected to generate 150 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year by consuming 130,000 tons of hippophae rhamnoides and caragana. The plants are expected to replace 80,000 tons of coal annually.

Hippophae rhamnoides, which is more commonly known as sea buckthorn, is a rugged plant that reaches maturity in about four to five years. It has thorny branches and edible berries, which can be used to make medical oils. The mature plant can be cold-, wind-, salt-, and drought-tolerant.

Caragana, which is also called the Siberian peashrub, is also a fast-growing shrub tolerant of cold temperatures and drought.
 

1. biomass - including wood and wood waste, municipal solid waste, landfill and biogas, ethanol, and biodiesel
2. water (hydropower or hydro power)
3. geothermal
4. wind energy 
5. solar power

Today is 05 Jun 2006, a different day, World Environment Day.

We used to utilize crude oil, coal and other conventional energy. But now we know climate change effects will be increasingly felt by people from all walks of life. Although those conventional energy used by us only bring a part of these bad effects, the world will be better if the use of those conventional energy is reduced everyday.