풍력발전의 국가별 상황, the state of wind power generation by country

 

풍력 발전의 대표주자는 미국과 유럽연합을 위시로 한 선진국들이다. 미국은 정부와 기업 차원에서 풍력 발전에 많은 투자를 하고 있으며 서부에서 중부, 북부와 남부, 북동부까지 풍력 발전소를 계속해서 건설하고 있다. 드넓은 국토와 난류 덕분에 풍력 발전에 적합한 땅이 많은 덕분. 본토 외에도 알래스카, 하와이, 푸에르토리코에도 풍력 발전소를 건설했다. 다만 동남부는 풍력 발전소가 없다시피 하다. 풍력 발전량이 제일 많은 곳은 텍사스 주로 이곳에서만 풍력 발전으로 20,000 MW 이상의 전기를 생산하고 있다. 지금은 발전 단가도 낮아져서 풍력 사업이 연년 성장세를 띠고 있다. 대체에너지 중에서도 꽤나 각광 받고 있는 만큼 역할을 톡톡히 하고 있다.

실제로 미국은 대체에너지 중에서 풍력이 가장 많은 발전 비율을 차지하고 있다. 2024년 예측 기준으로 풍력이 156GW로 단연 수위에 있고, 다음이 태양광으로 130GW, 원자력 97GW, 수력 80GW 순이다. 풍력 발전에 가장 적합한 국가의 조건이 자본과 기술이 있는 선진국이면서, 바람이 일정하게 부는 처치곤란한 넓은 땅이 필수라는 사실을 재확인시켜준다.

유럽연합 가입국들을 포함한 주요 유럽 국가들에서도 풍력 발전이 각광 받고 있으며, 덴마크는 2015년 전체 전력의 42%를 풍력 발전으로 충당해 발전 비율 세계 1위 기록을 세우기도 했다. 유럽은 북대서양 난류의 영향으로 자연재해로부터 비교적 안전하고 편서풍이 불어오는 만큼 풍력 발전에 매우 적합하다. 그 외에 캐나다, 일본, 호주, 뉴질랜드에서도 풍력 발전 비율이 증가하는 추세다. 인구가 많은 중국과 인도에서도 꽤 많이 짓고 있다. 건설된 수와 발전 용량은 선진국들에 뒤지지 않을 정도다. 특히 중국은 풍력 발전 용량이 세계 1위다.

말라위의 농촌 소년 윌리엄 캄쾀바는 14살 나이에 풍차를 만들어 자전거발전기에 연결해 화제가 되었다. 학교도 제대로 다니지 못하던 소년이 도서관의 헌책들을 읽어서 풍력 발전의 원리를 이해하고 승압기, 차단기까지 만들어 전구, 라디오, 휴대 전화 등을 사용한 것. 별 거 아닌 거 같지만 말라위 농촌은 물론이고 아프리카 대부분이 건전지나 충전용 배터리(이마저도 좀 돈 있는 편) 빼면 전기 구경하기도 힘든 동네다!

그 밖의 아프리카 국가들은 풍력 발전 비율이 매우 적다. 그나마 제일 많은 곳은 남아프리카 공화국이며 그 다음이 북아프리카에 위치한 모로코와 이집트 순이다. 그 외에 에티오피아, 튀니지, 카보베르데 등 그나마 안정적인 곳에서나 쓰이는 편.

그리고 선진국 기준으로는 원해의 해상 풍력(Offshore)의 경우 발전 단가가 다른 발전 방식보다 낮다. 미국의 경우 원자력 발전과 비교해도 많이 저렴한 편. 워낙 땅이 넓은 덕분이다. EIA 보고서 그러나 한국의 경우 풍력 발전 단가는 아직 원자력보다는 비싸고 LNG/석유 발전보다 저렴한 수준이다. EPSIS 2016년 보고서 유럽의 경우 MWh당 110 유로 선이던 해상 풍력 발전 판매가격(전기저장시설 포함)이 2019년 기준 75 유로 선으로 떨어지고 2025년에는 50-60 유로 선으로 하락해 통상적 석탄 발전보다 저렴해지는 그리드 패리티(Grid Parity) 덕분에 머지않아 보조금이 필요 없어질 전망이다.

 

 

 

 

Advanced countries, including the United States and the European Union, are representatives of wind power generation. The United States continues to build wind farms from the west to the central, northern, southern, and northeastern regions, and is investing heavily in wind power at the government and corporate levels. Due to its wide land area and turbulence, there are many land suitable for wind power generation. In addition to the mainland, wind farms have been built in Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. However, the Southeast region does not have a wind farm. Texas produces the most wind power in the state alone, where wind power is generating more than 20,000 MW of electricity. The wind power industry is growing annually now because power generation costs have also decreased. It is playing a significant role in the spotlight among alternative energy sources.

Wind power actually accounts for the largest portion of alternative energy generation in the United States. Wind power is at the top of the list at 156 GW according to the 2024 forecast, followed by solar power at 130 GW, nuclear power at 97 GW, and hydroelectric power at 80 GW. It reaffirms that advanced countries with capital and technology are the most suitable conditions for wind power generation, and large lands with constant winds are essential.

Wind power is also in the spotlight in major European countries, including EU member states, and Denmark ranked first in the world in terms of power generation ratio in 2015 by covering 42% of all electricity from wind power. Europe is relatively safe from natural disasters due to the North Atlantic turbulence, and as westerly winds blow, it is very suitable for wind power generation. In addition, Canada, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand are also seeing an increase in the rate of wind power generation. China and India, which have large populations, are also building quite a lot. The number of constructions and the capacity to generate electricity are comparable to those of advanced countries. In particular, China ranks first in the world in terms of wind power generation capacity.

William Kamquamba, a Malawi rural boy, made headlines at the age of 14 when he built a windmill and connected it to a bicycle generator. The boy, who couldn't attend school properly, understood the principles of wind power generation by reading old books in the library, made boosters and breakers, and used light bulbs, radios, and mobile phones. It doesn't seem like a big deal, but most of Africa, not to mention Malawi's rural areas, are hard to see electricity except for batteries and rechargeable batteries!

Other African countries generate very little wind power. South Africa has the largest number, followed by Morocco and Egypt, located in North Africa. Additionally, it is only used in stable places like Ethiopia, Tunisia, and Cabo Verde.

And in the case of offshore offshore wind power generation, the unit price of power generation is lower than that of other power generation methods according to developed countries. In the case of the United States, it is much cheaper compared to nuclear power generation. This is due to the large land. EIA Report However, in the case of Korea, the unit price of wind power generation is still higher than that of nuclear power and cheaper than LNG/oil power generation. EPSIS 2016 Report In Europe, the sale price of offshore wind power generation (including electrical storage facilities) which was around 110 euros per MWh in 2019 will fall to the 75-euro level in 2019, and will fall to the 50-60-euro level in 2025, which is expected to eliminate the need for subsidies soon thanks to Grid Parity, which is cheaper than conventional coal power generation.