Abstract
Wind energy is seen as a sustainable alternative to electricity generation methods that produce greenhouse gases, or are perceived by the public as being unsafe. Globally, installed wind capacity has risen year-on-year from 6.1 GW in 1996 to 238.3 GW in 2011 (GWEC 2011). In 2011, 42 times more generation capacity was added compared with 1996. Europe leads the world in wind energy generation with over 96 GW installed capacity. The greatest users are the Danes with 26% of annual electricity demand met by wind power. However, growth is strongest in Asia with China installing 26% of the world's new wind energy generation in 2011. Despite this rapid growth, wind energy only represents 2.5% of current global generation capacity. New Zealand has also embraced wind energy, producing 623 MW at the end of 2011, or about 4% of the country's annual generation (NZWEA 2012). This capacity comes from 16 operating wind farms located from Waikato to Southland, and east to the Chatham Islands. A further 26 facilities are either consented or have sites under investigation. The industry plans to increase generation to 3.5 GW by 2030, representing 20% of total generation capacity (NZWEA 2012).