Is There Prosperity in the Wind?

How many times must a windmill spin before you can see in the dark?  As the United States mobilizes around energy-efficient light bulbs, there is still the issue of lighting them.  Wind power is often touted as a powerful alternative form of energy.  The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) is committed to having more and more homes powered by wind.

According to EWEA’s website, the average wind turbine with a capacity of 2.5 – 3 MW can produce more than 6 million kWh in a year – enough to supply 1,500 average EU households with electricity.

This old form of energy is being celebrated this month during Global Wind Day on June 15, 2011.   The EWEA President Arthouros Zervos contextualizes this year’s celebration of Global Wind Day in the following statement:

“Fukushima, the Arab spring and the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico have created enormous public interest in the future of energy” said Zervos. “Global Wind Day encourages citizens to find out for themselves how wind can make our energy supply more secure and environmentally friendly.”

‘Global Wind Day’, citizens from around the world can discover the benefits of wind energy while having fun. With Middle East instability affecting oil prices and debate over nuclear following Fukushima, the hundreds of events on offer on Global Wind Day will show people everywhere how wind can be part of a stable, clean energy future.

From Austria to Australia to Japan, Canada to Uruguay, Germany to the Ukraine , citizens will be able to watch open-air theater, build kites for kite surfing, visit new wind farms, check out wind industry jobs fairs and play at wind energy parties. Highlights include the German Technology Museum in Berlin opening its doors for a wind energy exhibition and the announcement in New York City of WindMade – an initiative to develop a consumer label for companies and products using wind power.

Maybe Global Wind day can help spark a push toward alternative forms of  energy that some experts think is the best hope for the future,  a future in which we’re all less dependent on oil and other fossil fuels, the air is cleaner, and our economy is flourishing due to all the “green jobs” it will take to build the infrastructure that will make it possible for a significant amount of our energy to come from the wind.  It’s a nice image, and maybe it all starts on June 15, 2011 – Global Wind Day.