Ask the Experts

Wind power potential – ‘higher..

A recent Harvard-led research project suggests the potential of wind energy could be considerably higher than previous estimates by both wind industry groups and government agencies. In this exclusive extract, PES looks at the report, garnered from the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States. Using data from thousands of meteorological stations, the Harvard team estimated the world wind power potential to be 40 times greater than total current power consumption.

One of the continent’s foremost stevedore and marine terminal operators, Gulfstream Marine is making a name for itself in the specialised field of wind turbine transportation. caught up with company founderPES: Welcome to PES magazine. Firstly, can you give us a basic overview of Gulf Stream Marine (GSM) as a company and how it operates with regards to the wind energy industry in the US?

PES looks at how seaways and rail networks are helping to speed up the continent’s bid for a more ecologically-sound future, based around wind farm technology. Picture the scene: you’re driving along a narrow road in small town America. It’s a like a scene from a Wim Wenders movie with maybe just a dash of the Coen Brothers thrown in for good measure. You’re enjoying the ride, the scenery is superb and your favorite Bruce Springsteen track – Born in the USA (what else?) – blares from your state-of-the-art stereo system.

or rather, their energy could well be. A newly-published study commissioned by the Canadian Wind Energy Association found considerable potential for wind energy exports from the Maritime Provinces to the US north east. In this exclusive extract, PES reveals how the provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island could transport their surplus energy to the US.

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar offers PES a stimulating and thought-provoking analysis of the future of the energy business throughout the US as we enter a brave new world of political development. Whereas previous generations may have been prepared to accept compromise and second-best, we now have a golden opportunity to forge ahead in the energy business, placing the US firmly at the forefront of technology and developments, he argues.

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