Earth Summit 2002 - Greenpeace

North Sea countries could generate third of their electricity needs from offshore wind within a generation

Wednesday, June 26, 2002, Horns Rev, Denmark: In the lead up to the Earth Summit in Johannesburg in August, the Greenpeace flagship, the Rainbow Warrior, today began the first leg of the "Choose Positive Energy Tour" - a global journey to support the development renewable energy around the world. Offshore wind in the North Sea alone could supply over a third of the electricity needs for countries bordering the North Sea within a generation. Greenpeace are going to challenge governments and industry to make this happen.

The Rainbow Warrior sailed today to Horns Rev, the world's largest offshore wind park that is being built in Danish waters. Another Greenpeace ship, the Arctic Sunrise, more often used in the polar regions, will begin the second leg of the Choose Positive Energy tour in South East Asia next month.

"During the coming weeks, as the world's leaders prepare to meet in Johannesburg for the Earth Summit, Greenpeace will be conducting this global tour with two ships to illustrate that renewable energy is ready and able to replace dirty coal, oil, gas and nuclear power - not only in the future, but today," said Greenpeace UK Executive Director Stephen Tindale.

Offshore wind in the North Sea has the potential to produce nearly twice the electricity needs of the North Sea countries. Realizing only 20% of that potential would supply one third of these countries electricity.

"There needs to be a massive expansion of renewable energy supplies in the northern industrialized countries to make renewable energy cost effective enough to take off in southern countries. We are touring the North Sea because this is where the potential for offshore wind energy is enormous," said Tindale.

"The North Sea is set to be the cradle of the global renewables revolution," said Tindale.

Wind energy is competitive with coal and gas power generation and clearly beats the more expensive nuclear power. This is one of the main conclusions of 'Wind Force 12', a recent report produced by Greenpeace and the European Wind Energy Association. The UK government's energy review projected that wind energy will be the cheapest energy source by 2020.

More than 4,700MW of wind power was installed onshore in the EU last year - producing as much electricity as 2 large nuclear reactors. By the end of this year, another 6,000MW will be added and a further growth of 30-40% per year is expected. Despite the strength of onshore wind developments, it is the offshore wind industry that provides the greatest potential.

"Offshore wind is still facing political obstacles that need to be removed - such as difficulties in accessing the electricity grid in North Sea States," said Tindale, "With these obstacles removed, the North Sea could become a real clean energy powerhouse for Europe and the rest of the world".

Next month the Arctic Sunrise will begin the second leg of the Choose Positive Energy tour in South East Asia. The ship will be visiting the Philippines and Thailand where communities there are rejecting dirty old-fashioned energy technology like coal fired power stations, and demanding clean renewable energy fill the growing demand in the region. Greenpeace is campaigning for governments to make a commitment at the Johannesburg Earth Summit, to provide renewable energy to the two billion people around the world who currently live without electricity.

For more information contact media officer Erika Augustinsson +46 70 321 73 64 or +871 130 2412 (satellite phone). Greenpeace campaigners from the UK, Denmark, the Netherlands and Germany are available for interview on the board the Rainbow Warrior. For video footage or stills of the Rainbow Warrior at an offshore wind park in Denmark contact Erika Augustinsson.