Europe must catch the wind

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} Europe can turn it use of wind energy into a competitive advantage, according to the EU Energy Commissioner this morning, speaking at a conference in Marseille.   "Wind energy can replace a large proportion of the polluting and finite fuels we currently rely on," explained Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs, at the opening session of the European Wind Energy Conference and Exhibition (EWEC) organised by the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA).   "It makes good sense to invest in indigenous sources of power which hedge against unpredictable fossil fuel prices and in which Europe has a real competitive advantage."   In terms of finite resources, according to the European Commission, only 3.5 percent of the world's proven coal reserves are in the EU, along with less than 2 percent of the world's gas, less than 2 percent of its uranium and under 1 percent of the world's oil.   "The fight over the world's rapidly depleting fuel resources is already intensifying," emphasised Arthouros Zervos, EWEA's President, at this morningÔÇÖs session. "It will only become more brutal with time and Europe will lose the battle. European companies have two thirds of the Ôé¼35 billion global market for wind power technology. Wind energy is Europe's contribution to peace, progress and prosperity and we should urgently develop, promote and export it to the best of our ability."   Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} Wind energy's contribution to prosperity is analysed in detail in a new EWEA report launched today, which Zervos presented to delegates. 'The Economics of Wind Energy' provides a detailed insight into wind energy economics and compares the costs of wind to those of other power-generating technologies.     *┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á *┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á *