IEA WIND ENERGY Annual Report 2008 Executive Committee for the Implementing Agreement for Co-operation in the Research, Development, and Deployment of Wind Energy Systems of the International Energy Agency July 2009 ISBN 0-9786383-3-6 IEA Wind 1 Front cover: The NedPower Mount Storm 264-MW wind energy project is located about 120 miles west of Washington, D.C. in Grant County, West Virginia. Owned by Do- minion and Shell WindEnergy Inc., the project began construction in 2006, consists of 132 wind turbines along 12 miles of the Allegheny Front, and can generate enough electricity to serve about 66,000 homes and businesses. Output from the wind farm will be sold into PJM Interconnection, a regional transmission operator and wholesale electricity market serving 51 million people in 13 states and the District of Columbia. Photo Credit: Vetter, Moe. 2 2008 Annual Report Foreword Under the auspices of the International Energy Agency (IEA*), the Implementing Agreement for Co-operation in the Research, Development, and Deployment of Wind En- ergy Systems (IEA Wind**) is a collaborative venture among 24 contracting parties from 20 Member Countries, the European Commission, and the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA). In this thirty-first IEA Wind Energy Annual Report, experts describe activities in the research, development and deployment of wind energy within their countries in Sec- tion II, Member Activities. The managers (Operating Agents) of the IEA Wind cooperative research Tasks report progress for the year and plans for the coming year in Section I, Imple- menting Agreement and Active Annexes. The Executive Summary compiles information from all countries and Tasks in a shorter format suitable for decision makers. This IEA Wind Energy Annual Report for 2008 is published by PWT Communications in Boulder, Colorado, United States, on behalf of the IEA Wind Executive Committee. It was edited by P. Weis-Taylor, with contributions from experts in participating organizations from Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, the European Commission, the EWEA, Finland, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy (two contracting parties), Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway (two contracting parties), Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Swit- zerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Ana ESTANQUEIRO Chair of the Executive Committee 2006-2008 Patricia WEIS-TAYLOR Secretary to the Executive Committee 1998-present * The IEA was founded in 1974 within the framework of the Organization for Eco- nomic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to collaborate on international energy programs and carry out a comprehensive program about energy among Member Countries. In 2008, 28 countries and the European Commission participated in 42 Implementing Agreements of the IEA. OECD Member countries, non-Member countries, and interna- tional organisations may participate. For more information, visit www.iea.org. **The IEA Wind implementing agreement functions within a framework created by the International Energy Agency (IEA). Views and findings within this Annual Report do not necessarily represent the views or policies of the IEA Secretariat or of its individual member countries. Web site for additional information on IEA Wind www.ieawind.org IEA Wind 3 Message from the Chair Welcome to the 2008 IEA Wind Annual Report where we document the record in- creases in wind energy capacity and its contribution to satisfying electrical demand around the world! The member countries of IEA Wind added more than 17,000 megawatts (MW) with growth rates up to 58% over 2007. Amidst all of this work in our home countries, we managed to work together to achieve significant results in IEA Wind. Following the 2003 Strategic Plan, IEA Wind has addressed key issues of integration of wind power into the electricity system, offshore wind develop- ment, and social acceptance of wind energy projects. For example the final report of the first term of Task 25, Power Systems with Large Amounts of Wind Power showed that the impact of wind power can be controlled by appropriate grid connection requirements, ex- tension and reinforcement of transmission networks, and integration of wind power produc- tion forecasts into system and market operation. This work is having significant impact on expanded wind energy development. In 2008, we produced an End-of-Term Report documenting that the cooperative re- search tasks are rewarding participants with benefits totaling many times the value of the monetary and in-kind efforts they contribute. Industrial and utility participation is inform- ing the research tasks, and the information sharing and distribution of the ExCo is con- tributing to policy development in the Member Countries and at IEA. We extended our cooperation for another five years and approved a Strategic Plan to guide our work in 2009 through 2013. Also this year, work has been completed in two tasks on issues of offshore wind energy deployment and integration of wind and hydropower systems. Final reports are expected next year and this work will provide the foundation for continuing work in these areas. Four important tasks illustrating the importance of technical as well a social issues moved forward. Consumer labeling of small wind turbines demands technical expertise as well as policy sen- sitivity. Cost of wind energy will provide important methodologies to compare technologies and approaches. Social acceptance of wind energy projects will translate the findings of so- cial scientists into the language of planners, developers, and engineers to enhance the process of wind power development. And following on the successes of two previous tasks on aero- dynamics, a new task will bring the combined efforts of organizations in eleven countries to process and use the massive amounts of data collected by the European Union “MEXICO” aerodynamic experiment. Improving aerodynamic models is an important element of im- proving wind turbine durability. I personally have been honored to participate in the progress of IEA Wind and to serve as Chair these three years. Now I confidently pass these important duties on to Brian Smith of the United States. Ana Estanqueiro Chair of the Executive Committee, 2006 to 2008 4 2008 Annual Report Contents FOREWORD .................................................................................................................3 Message from the Chair .....................................................................................................4 CONTENTS ....................................................................................................................5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..............................................................................................7 SECTION I The Implementing Agreement and Active Tasks Chapter 1 The Implementing Agreement .......................................................................31 Chapter 2 Base Technology Information Exchange - Task 11 ...........................................37 Chapter 3 Wind Energy in Cold Climates – Task 19 ........................................................43 Chapter 4 Offshore Wind Energy Technology Deployment – Task 23 ..............................47 Chapter 5 Integration of Wind and Hydropower Systems – Task 24 .................................53 Chapter 6 Power Systems with Large Amounts of Wind Power – Task 25 ........................58 Chapter 7 Cost of Wind Energy – Task 26 ......................................................................64 Chapter 8 Consumer Labeling of Small Wind Turbines – Task 27 ....................................67 Chapter 9 Social Acceptance of Wind Energy Projects – Task 28 .....................................70 Chapter 10 MexNex(T): Analysis of Wind Tunnel Measurements and Improvement of Aerodynamic Models – Task 29 ....................................................................74 SECTION II Member Activities Chapter 11 Australia .......................................................................................................79 Chapter 12 Austria ..........................................................................................................85 Chapter 13 Canada .........................................................................................................89 Chapter 14 Denmark ....................................................................................................103 Chapter 15 the European Commission .........................................................................119 Chapter 16 Finland .......................................................................................................131 Chapter 17 Germany ....................................................................................................143 Chapter 18 Greece .......................................................................................................155 Chapter 19 Ireland ........................................................................................................163 Chapter 20 Italy ............................................................................................................173 Chapter 21 Japan ..........................................................................................................187 Chapter 22 Republic of Korea ......................................................................................197 Chapter 23 Mexico ......................................................................................................201 Chapter