IEAIEA WINDWIND ENERGYENERGY ANNUALANNUAL REPORTREPORT 20002000 International Energy Agency R&D Wind IEA Wind Energy Annual Report 2000 International Energy Agency (IEA) Executive Committee for the Implementing Agreement for Co-operation in the Research and Development of Wind Turbine Systems May 2001 National Renewable Energy Laboratory 1617 Cole Boulevard Golden, Colorado 80401-3393 United States of America Cover Photo These reindeer live in the vicinity of wind turbines at the Härjedälen site in Sweden. Photo Credit: Gunnär Britse FOREWORD he twenty-third IEA Wind Energy Annual Report reviews the progress during 2000 Tof the activities in the Implementing Agreement for Co-operation in the Research and Development of Wind Turbine Systems under the auspices of the International Energy Agency (IEA). The agreement and its program, which is known as IEA R&D Wind, is a collaborative venture among 19 contracting parties from 17 IEA member countries and the European Commission. he IEA, founded in 1974 within the framework of the Organization for Economic TCo-operation and Development (OECD) to collaborate on comprehensive international energy programs, carries out a comprehensive program about energy among 24 of the 29 OECD member countries. his report is published by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in TColorado, United States, on behalf of the IEA R&D Wind Executive Committee. It is edited by P. Weis-Taylor with contributions from experts in participating organizations from Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy (two contracting par- ties), Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Jaap ´t Hooft Patricia Weis-Taylor Chair of the Secretary to the Executive Committee Executive Committee Web sites for additional information on IEA R&D Wind www.iea.org/techno/impagr/index.html www.afm.dtu.dk/wind/iea International Energy Agency iii CONTENTS Page I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY . .1 II. THE IEA R&D WIND PROGRAM . .5 1. The Implementing Agreement . .5 2. Task XI - Base technology information exchange . 8 3. Task XV - Annual review of progress in the implementation of wind energy by the IEA member countries . .11 4. Task XVI - Wind turbine round robin test program . .12 5. Task XVII - Database on wind characteristics . .14 6. Task XVIII - Enhanced field rotor aerodynamic database . .18 7. Task XIX - Wind energy in cold climates . .22 III. NATIONAL ACTIVITIES . .25 8. Overview . .25 9. Australia . .47 10. Canada . .63 11. Denmark . .67 12. Finland . .83 13. Germany . .87 14. Greece . .101 15. Italy . .109 16. Japan . .119 17. Mexico . .127 18. The Netherlands . .133 19. Norway . .143 20. Spain . .149 21. Sweden . .159 22. United Kingdom . .171 23. United States . .183 APPENDICES . .197 A.The 46th Executive Committee (photo), Naples, Italy . .197 B. List of Executive Committee Members, Alternate Members, and Operating Agents . .199 C. Currency Exchange Rates . .205 International Energy Agency v I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR steadily. This is driven by more effective The year 2000 was another good year for and cheaper machines and the use of wind energy. Worldwide electricity larger machines. The average turbine generation from wind now provides continues to grow in size and capacity, enough electricity to supply 75% of all reaching 800 kW in 2000, compared to Denmark’s needs. 440 kW five years ago. Machines of 3 MW and above are now being developed by Much of the current market for wind several companies, the first of which is energy is driven by the very low life-time expected to be erected in 2001 in Sweden. emissions that the technology offers. But wind energy also provides an opportunity The interest and level of commercial for industry, enables rapid capacity activity associated with offshore wind building, removes fuel supply cost energy increased again during 2000. Projects uncertainties and increases the diversity were developed in the UK (4 MW), in and security of electricity supply. Denmark (40 MW) and in Sweden (10 MW). The new market for large offshore machines The value of wind energy is increasingly has created much fresh thinking on both recognized by governments, which has the foundations and installation methods. enabled sustained high growth at 30% per Offshore reliability has also been identified annum or above since reporting began in as an area needing continued research in 1994. Wind continued to show growth at order to achieve acceptable availabilities. 30% both globally and in the reporting IEA countries this year. At the end of 2000, the I hope you will find this IEA Wind Energy global wind capacity reached 17.6 GW. The Annual Report both interesting and total installed capacity in the IEA member informative. This year we have expanded countries reached 15.4 GW, with the IEA the Overview chapter based on the countries now accounting for 88% of national reviews of the IEA R&D Wind global installed capacity. The value of this member countries to provide a compressed global market in 2000 is estimated at analysis. We would appreciate your around 4 billion US Dollars. feedback on the annual report, which can be sent to the Secretariat listed in Germany and Spain sustained the very Appendix B. high rate of turbine installation seen for the last couple of years, putting in more Jaap ´t Hooft new wind plant than ever before. This Chair IEA R&D Wind reflects the strong markets, offering fixed INTRODUCTION and generous tariffs for the energy produced. Denmark too had an exceptional IEA’s commitment to wind energy dates year, installing nearly twice as much back to 1977, when the Implementing capacity as it has in recent years. Italy Agreement for Co-operation in the continued its rapid growth trend established Research and Development of Wind over three years now, installing 145 MW Turbine Systems (IEA R&D Wind) began. to match Spain’s overall growth rate of The past 23 years have seen the develop- over 50%. New markets to show vigorous ment and maturing of wind energy activity were Japan and Australia. technology. This process has only been possible through vigorous national The price that wind power can generate programs of research, development, electricity at commercially, continues to fall demonstration and financial incentives for International Energy Agency 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY deployment. In this process, the IEA R&D Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Wind has played a role by providing a Germany, Greece, Italy (two contracting flexible framework for cost-effective joint parties), Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, research projects and information exchange. New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United When the contracting parties extended the States are now members. Recently there IEA R&D Wind implementing agreement has been increasing interest in IEA through 2003, they adopted a Strategic participation from both Organization for Plan outlining objectives for the coming Economic Cooperation and Development years. The mission of the IEA R&D Wind (OECD) and non-OECD countries. This Agreement continues to be to encourage interest is being encouraged and prospective and support the technological development members attend IEA Wind Executive and global deployment of wind energy Committee (ExCo) meetings to observe technology. To do this the contracting first-hand the benefits of participation. parties exchange information on their continuing and planned activities and COLLABORATIVE ACTIVITIES participate in IEA R&D Wind tasks Participants in the IEA R&D Wind regarding co-operative research, develop- Agreement are currently working on six ment, and demonstration of wind systems. Tasks, that are Annexes to the original Specifically, members agree to the following Implementing Agreement. Several objectives for the extension of the agreement. additional Tasks are being planned as new • Cost effective international cooperation areas for cooperative research are identified. on advanced wind energy related To date, 11 Tasks have been successfully research and development, completed and one Task has been deferred indefinitely. The level of effort on a Task is • Exchange of information and state-of- typically the equivalent of several people the-art assessments on wind energy working for a period of three years. Some technology, policy, and deployment, Tasks have been extended to continue • Extension of cooperation to non- their work. The projects are either cost- participating OECD countries, as well shared and carried out in a lead country, as promotion of wind energy in devel- or task-shared, when the participants oping countries and in Eastern Europe, contribute in-kind, usually in their preferably in cooperation with the home organizations, to a joint program World Bank and other international coordinated by an Operating Agent. financing institutions. Reviews of the progress in each active NATIONAL PROGRAMS Task are given in Chapters 2 through 7. A brief account of the status of Tasks follows The national wind energy programs of the here. To obtain more information about participating countries are the basis for these activities, contact the Operating Agent the IEA R&D Wind collaboration. These for each task listed in Appendix B.. national programs are directed toward the Task XI - Base Technology evaluation, development and promotion of Information Exchange wind energy technology. They are concerned with work at home and in other countries. Operating Agent: The Aeronautical A summary of progress in each country is Research Institute of Sweden (FFA) given in Chapters 9 through 23. The two main activities of this Task At present, 19 contracting parties from are to prepare documents in the series 17 countries and the European Commission “Recommended practices for wind turbine participate in IEA R&D Wind. Australia, testing and evaluation” by assembling an 2 IEA R&D Wind Annual Report 2000 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Experts Group for each topic needing and resolve sources of discrepancies, recommended practices and to conduct and improve the testing methods and Topical Expert Meetings and Joint Actions procedures.