In order to battle
climate change and make the transition to a sustainable future, renewable
energy has emerged as a critical alternative. To harness the potential of
renewable energy sources, governments, organisations, and people from all over
the world have been actively involved in past, current, and future projects.
This blog will examine noteworthy renewable energy initiatives from across the
globe, highlighting their significance, important anniversaries, and
eye-catching statistics that show the development of the industry.
Past
Projects
The
Three Gorges Dam, China (2003-2012)
·
Completion Date: May 20, 2006.
·
Capacity: 22,500 megawatts (MW), making
it the world's largest hydropower project.
·
Environmental Impact: The dam has
significantly reduced China's reliance on fossil fuels, providing clean
electricity to millions of people while also improving flood control.
Solar
Park Kamuthi, India (2016)
·
Completion Date: September 2016.
·
Capacity: 648 MW, covering an area of
2,500 acres.
·
Impressive Fact: The solar park is the
largest single-location solar project globally, generating clean energy to
power approximately 150,000 homes.
Horns
Rev 3 Offshore Wind Farm, Denmark (2019)
·
Completion Date: August 22, 2019.
·
Capacity: 407 MW, consisting of 49
turbines.
· Environmental Impact: The wind farm
provides clean energy to meet the electricity demands of around 425,000 Danish
households, contributing to the country's ambitious carbon neutrality goals.
Present
Projects
Noor
Abu Dhabi Solar Plant, United Arab Emirates (2019)
·
Completion Date: June 2019.
·
Capacity: 1,177 MW, making it the
world's largest single-site solar project.
·
Remarkable Achievement: The plant's
energy generation is equivalent to offsetting 1 million metric tons of carbon
dioxide emissions annually.
London
Array Offshore Wind Farm, United Kingdom (2013)
·
Completion Date: April 2013.
·
Capacity: 630 MW, consisting of 175
turbines.
·
Environmental Impact: The wind farm
reduces carbon emissions by approximately 900,000 tons per year, powering
nearly half a million UK homes with clean energy.
Ivanpah
Solar Electric Generating System, United States (2014)
·
Completion Date: February 2014.
·
Capacity: 392 MW, utilizing concentrated
solar power (CSP) technology.
·
Notable Fact: The project has the
capability to generate enough electricity to power around 140,000 homes while
reducing greenhouse gas emissions by more than 400,000 tons annually.
Future
Projects
Dogger
Bank Wind Farm, United Kingdom (expected completion by 2026)
Projected Capacity -
3.6 GW, making it the world's largest offshore wind farm.
Environmental Impact-
Once operational, the wind farm is estimated to provide clean energy to over
4.5 million UK households.
Kauai
Island Utility Cooperative Solar Project, United States (expected completion by
2024)
Projected Capacity- 140
MW.
Remarkable Feature -
The project incorporates a battery storage system, enabling the storage of
excess solar energy for use during non-sunlight hours.
Hywind
Tampen Floating Wind Farm, Norway (expected completion by 2022)
Projected Capacity- 88
MW, consisting of floating wind turbines.
Impressive Fact- The
wind farm will power offshore oil and gas platforms, reducing carbon emissions
by approximately 200,000 tons per year.
Through a number of
past, present, and upcoming projects, the landscape of renewable energy around
the world has experienced impressive growth. Countries all around the world are
investing in renewable energy to combat climate change and ensure a sustainable
future, from erecting gigantic hydroelectric dams to setting up sizable solar
and wind farms. We are getting closer to a clean energy transition that will
lower greenhouse gas emissions, improve energy security, and protect the
environment for future generations with each milestone we reach.