HISTORY OF, AND RECENT PROGRESS IN, WIND-ENERGY UTILIZATION

This review presents the current status of wind turbine technology and recent advances in understanding the long history of wind energy, Rea sons for the convergence of technological solutions towards a horizont al axis concept with two or three blades are discussed, and the advanc es in materials science are identified as determinants of the change t oward increasing optimum turbine size. The modest environmental impact s of wind turbines are illustrated by recent life-cycle analyses, and the economic incentive structure and power buy-back rates in different countries are invoked to explain the variation in wind technology pen etration in countries with similar resource potentials, Finally, the p ossible future role of wind technology is discussed, based on resource estimates, competing land demands, government commitments and technol ogical trends, including the recent offshore wind farm developments.