Page 304 - Handbook of Energy Engineering Calculations
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electricity used in Europe generated by renewable energy sources by the year
2010.
In the United States, a number of states that have not yet installed large
numbers of wind turbines are considering doing so. Thus, New York and
Massachusetts are—at this writing—considering wind-turbine installations in
the Atlantic Ocean along their coastlines. There has been some resistance
from citizens’ groups, but this is expected to subside and the installations to
proceed. Such installations will lead to a reduction in the use of fossil fuels.
Figure 8 gives the comparative economics of wind power.
Today, and in the future, fossil fuels face enormous regulatory
requirements for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Such gases are believed
to lead to global warming. The Kyoto Pact seeks to have power plants reduce
their greenhouse gas emissions to less than their pre-1990 count during the
period from 2008 through 2012.
