8th World Wind Energy Conference 2009 in South Corea

Bonn/Seoul (WWEA – 5 June 2009) - The first World Wind Energy Conference ever held in Korea is approaching. Speakers from 40 countries will present in more than 130 presentations the latest developments of wind energy. The conference will focus on wind energy utilisation on islands as well as around islands: offshore applications as well as hybrid and stand-alone systems. Both are key technologies for the shift towards a future global energy supply based on 100 % renewable energy.
Offshore wind energy accounts today for roughly 1,5 GW of installed wind turbines, equaling 1 % of the globally installed wind capacity. Many countries in Asia like Korea and China, in Europe and in North America, are further exploring this technology and are planning huge offshore wind farms to contribute large shares to their energy supply. Islands like the conference venue, Jeju, are often offering excellent conditions for installing wind turbines in their vicinity in the sea.

Renewable energy hybrid systems, especially wind in combination with other renewable technologies, will play a key role in providing electricity for islands which often possess an abundance of wind and other renewable resources. In many cases smaller scaled wind turbines would be applied for such purposes. A lot of progress has been made in the past few years in combining and integrating such different renewable technologies. These technologies are also increasingly important for rural electrification in remote or unserved areas, such as in many underdeveloped countries.

WWEC2009 will discuss also effective national and international policies which are an essential precondition for the success of wind energy. The conference will make its outcomes available both to the International Renewable Energy Agency which is in the founding process as well as to the UN climate change negotiations which aim at a more effective international climate change agreement to be adopted in Copenhagen by the end of this year.

About the World Wind Energy Conference 2009: The Korea Wind Energy Association (KWEA) in partnership with the World Wind Energy Association (WWEA) and supported, amongst others, by the Korean Ministry of Knowledge Economy, the Government of Jeju Province, UNESCO and the German Ministry for Environment, presents the Korean debut of the 8th World Wind Energy Conference “Wind Power for Islands - Offshore and Onshore”, on Jeju Island, Korea, on 23-25 June 2009.
Jeju island is the ideal location for the WWEC2009, hosting South Korea's first commercial wind farm and aiming at a total capacity of 500 MW which will provide one third of the island's electricity.

Confirmed speakers include internationally renowned speakers: Mr Kim Hyong O, Speaker of the National Assembly of Korea, the Governor of Jeju Province Mr Kim Tae Hwan, the Minister for Energy and Deputy Premier of Ontario the Hon. George Smitherman, Mr Kai Schlegelmilch (German Ministry for the Environment), Manuel Menéndez Castellanos (Government of Cuba), Mr Hans-Josef Fell, Energy Spokesman of the Green Party in the German Parliament, WWEA President Dr. Anil Kane, Prof. Choong-Yul Son, President of the Korean Wind Energy Association, Prof. He Dexin, President of the Chinese Wind Energy Association, Hon. Peter Rae AO, Chairman of the International Renewable Energy Alliance and Vice Chairman of REN21, Dr Preben Maegaard, President of the World Wind Energy Institute, Dr Franz Alt, internationally renowned journalist and author.

Core programming includes presentations on technology advances with a special focus on hybrid and offshore applications, policy innovation, governance. A Trade Show, a Conference Banquet and a poster exhibition round out the WWEC 2009 schedule. For more information including the WWEC2009 programme please visit the WWEC2009 website at www.2009wwec.com

For more information, please visit www.2009wwec.com