21 October 2013: The International Energy Agency’s (IEA) ‘Wind Power Technology Roadmap 2013 Edition’ reports that impressive progress has been made since its 2009 edition, indicating that wind could produce 15-18% of global energy by 2050 if predictable, supportive regulatory environments are created and care is given to market design.

The report suggests these high expectations are realistic based on improvement in wind technology and a changing global energy context. In addition to appropriate policy and markets, it notes grid integration challenges will also need to be overcome, and for offshore wind, cost reductions and scaling up will remain challenges in the near term. In terms of national contexts, the report sees China overtaking the EU as the world’s largest producer by 2020-25, with the US being third. In its 18% scenario, wind would save 4.8 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually by 2050.

The report contains chapters on wind energy progress since 2008; vision for deployment and carbon dioxide abatement; wind technology development- actions and time frames; system integration- actions and time frames; policy, finance, public acceptance and international collaboration- actions and time frames; and roadmap action plan and next steps. [Press release] [Publication: Wind Power Technology Roadmap 2013 Edition] [Publication: IEA Wind Energy Roadmap Foldout of key findings and key actions]