Friday, June 26th, 2009

Wind Energy Potential

Photo courtesy US EPA

A new report says wind turbines have the potential to supply all the world's energy needs. Writing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers describe using global estimates of local wind production to determine that a land-based network of 2.5 megawatt turbines installed in non-urban, non-forested, non-ice covered areas could supply all of the world’s electricity needs. We'll talk with the authors of the report about their findings, and the barriers to putting such a plan into practice.

Guests

Revis James
Director, Energy Technology Assessment Center
Electric Power Research Institute
Washington DC

Michael McElroy
Professor of Environmental Sciences
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA

Related Links

• Global potential for wind-generated electricity
• American Wind Energy Association.
• Wind Powering America

Segment produced by:Flora Lichtman

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