Reaching around the planet

and touching the sky:

Global Wind Day 2010 gives the world
a breath of fresh air
 Give Europe a breath of fresh air

Europe possesses an energy source which could power it seven

times over: the wind. European companies are world leaders in
wind power, generating thousands of jobs. Wind energy reduces
Europe’s dependence, and spending, on imported fossil fuels. It
lowers electricity prices and emits no CO2.

Over the next 12 years, Europe must build new power capacity
equal to half the current total. We must use this opportunity to
construct a modern power system that meets the challenges of
Breath
the 21st century.
of FRESH AIR
Give Europe a breath of fresh air by adopting a wind turbine at
www.ewea.org/freshair www.ewea.org/freshair
Foreword
Global Wind Day 2010 was a great success, and the
day has now become a fixture in the wind industry’s
calendar.
The Wind Day started in Europe in 2007, and it went
global last year, reflecting the reality of the globalisa-
tion of wind power.
We now have operating wind farms in more than 75
countries around the world and we estimate that at
the end of this year, global installed capacity will reach
close to 200 GW. Over the last decade, wind power
installations have increased at an average rate of
around 30% every year, with Europe, but also the US
and China driving the growth. In addition, new regions
such as Latin America, Africa and South-East Asia are
showing encouraging signs, and for the first time, half
of the new growth this year will actually happen in de-
veloping countries and emerging economies.
The Global Wind Day 2010 counted 220 events in 29
countries around the world. From school children in
Brazil to energy professionals in Canada, from wind
musicians in India to photographers in Argentina and
Sweden, people got involved on that day to show their
support for wind energy and witness the technology
work in practice.
Cover photo: RES Group/Helen Hall
Global Wind Day 2010 gives the world a breath of fresh air
I truly believe that the Global Wind Day is a fantastic
opportunity to remind people across the globe that
we can achieve a real energy revolution. An ever im-
proving technology is here to fundamentally transform
the way we produce electricity. Wind energy is the key
power source for the 21st century. At the same time,
we can save billions of tonnes of CO2 and create much
needed jobs - both of these objectives are very high
on the policy agenda everywhere around the world,
and wind power can go a long way in achieving them.
And this resource is not finite and does not spill the
oceans.
As you all know, public acceptance of wind energy is
immensely important for keeping up the momentum of
sustained growth, and this year’s events show that the
support for wind energy is truly global.
In the coming years, we expect the Global Wind Day to
grow even further, with more events in more countries,
and a wider reach.
Klaus Rave,
Chairman
Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC)
3
 REACHING AROUND THE PLANET AND TOUCHING THE SKY:
Global Wind Day 2010 gives the world a breath of fresh air
A day like no other — celebrating Global Wind
Day and the increasingly positive message that
wind power is helping the world deal with the
ongoing economic crisis, energy security and
climate change mitigation. Here is a taste
of what happened on and around the annual
Global Wind Day:
Wind power creates sustainable energy, spurs on
the economy by providing new jobs and helps reduce
stresses on the environment, the mayor of Tillsonburg,
Ontario said during a Global Wind Day tour of the Erie
Shores wind farm.
“Actually, it’s been an extremely valuable experience,”
said Stephen Molnar, who along with a number of oth-
er politicians was part of a tour of the four-year-old
Erie Shores facility in southern Ontario, which is de-
scribed as being one of the largest wind power facili-
ties in Canada, representing nearly 3% of the nation’s
installed wind capacity.
“Our municipality has benefited so much from wind en-
ergy that it is now a part of our identity,” said Lynn Acre,
mayor of Bayham, which is home to the Erie Shores
Austria
4 REACHING AROUND THE PLANET AND TOUCHING THE SKY
wind farm. “We sought this opportunity to bring posi-
tive change to our region, and have benefited from job
creation and increased tax revenues, new tourism and
our local farmers now have another source of income.”
Robert Hornung, the president of the Canadian Wind
Energy Association, said there was much to celebrate
in the nation on Global Wind Day.
“We expect wind energy’s rapid growth in Canada to
continue with production quadrupling in the next five
years,” Hornung said. “With its unparalleled wind re-
source, large hydroelectric capacity, strong manu-
facturing base and linkages to the U.S. market, this
country has an incredible opportunity to maximize the
economic, industrial development, and environmental
benefits associated with wind energy.”
The tour of Eire Shores was but one of hundreds of
events that occurred as the second annual Global
Wind Day ricocheted around the world on 15 June.
From Argentina to Canada, Italy to Austria, from Scot-
land to Belgium, from Japan to the US, from the Neth-
erlands to Estonia, tens of thousands of people turned
out for events, tours and exhibitions on Global Wind
Day and during the days leading up to and immediately
following 15 June.
Belgium
UK
 A force for good, global wind power
is getting the attention it merits
The little town of North Ayrshire, Scotland, well aware of
the benefits that wind power can bring, saw more than
600 people visiting the Dalry Community wind farm un-
der sunny skies to celebrate Family Open Day on 12
June which tied in with Global Wind Day, the Scottish
Renewables Festival and the RenewableUK Wind Week.
“Weather conditions at the wind farm were superb pro-
viding [a] magnificent view across Ayrshire and over to
the Isle of Arran with good winds blowing to operate
the turbines which worked away like silent work hors-
es,” organisers, the Community Windpower Ltd. said.
“Local people were invited to this free event to dis-
cover and explore their local wind farm which provides
local towns and villages with clean, green electricity”.
“There was free entertainment, guided tours, food and
refreshments with fundraising tables and local stalls
offering locally produced gifts and groceries.”
The event in North Ayrshire, and the growing belief
that wind power can be a driver for a new green econ-
omy that begins to reduce its dependence on destruc-
tive fossil fuels, was replicated around the world. From
wind farm open days and conferences, to exhibitions,
information days, sporting, writing and photo contests,
concerts and children’s events, the power of wind was
celebrated by politicians, scientists, entrepreneurs,
environmentalists, journalists, school kids, and many
other supporters.
Bulgaria
Global Wind Day 2010 gives the world a breath of fresh air
Feeling the love: Argentina, Italy and
the U.S. each embrace wind energy
In the Argentinan city of Buenos Aires, celebrations
started on Global Wind Day with a visit to an elemen-
tary school where students took part in an open class
about wind energy. Simultaneously, a small wind ex-
hibition was held in a central square where a live
concert of wind instruments surprised the visitors to
the exhibition. More than 60 students from technical
schools were among the visitors to the exhibition.
During the afternoon, a workshop on how to build
small wind turbines and a wind energy seminar took
place in the Argentine Engineering Centre. After the
seminar, the prize-giving of the wind energy photogra-
phy competition took place.
In other parts of the country, six wind farms opened
their doors to the public in order to allow people to
watch wind turbines working and perform guided tours.
In Santa Cruz province, several activities and celebra-
tions took place in Puerto San Julián, with governmen-
tal and private sponsorship.
La Rioja province Infrastructure Minister Javier Tineo
together with a representative of IMPSA Wind made a
presentation about wind energy showing a blade that
was being transported to the Arauco wind farm to a
group of high school students.
In Pico Truncado, the Technical College in Renewa-
ble Energies made three wind energy presentations
in schools of the three educational levels existing in
Argentina.
Canada
Greece
5
Activities continued in Greater Buenos Aires, repeating
the small wind turbine exhibition and the workshop on
how to build small wind turbines on a beach in front of
the Río de la Plata river in Acassuso.
Activities for children also took place: two workshops
of thematic comics and the prize-giving ceremony for
the drawing competition.
As the closing ceremony, representatives of AAEE and
CADER gave a speech, and a thematic concert based
on Bob Dylan’s “Blowing in the Wind” took place.
In an event in the famous Villa Borghese park in Rome
city centre, Italy, new research unveiled on Global
Wind Day showed about 87% of Italians are in favour
of more wind energy in their country.
“At Global Wind Day, we want to reiterate the impor-
tance of renewable energies as one of the key solu-
tions to the economic and climate crisis,” Edoardo
Zanchini from Legambiente, an Italian environment
group, said.
The survey also revealed that 80% of Italians believe
wind power is extremely environmentally friendly. In
addition, 82% of Italians called for more information
on the use of and opportunities offered by the wind
energy.
The survey showed most Italians agreed wind power
can play a positive role in the economic development
of the nation, and that it can increasingly be used as
a catalyst in creating a green economy.
In another piece of good news for Italian-produced wind
power, Simone Togni, Secretary General of the Italian
Wind Energy Association, announced to an audience
gathered for Global Wind Day in Rome that by 2011,
Germany
6 UK
wind energy will provide electricity to 10 million Italians.
By 2020, wind energy will meet 7% of Italy’s energy
needs, saving 19,250,460 tonnes of CO2 a year and
37,770,559 barrels of oil, he estimated.
From bike tours through wind farms to a kite-surfing
contest, Global Wind Day attracted attention across
Italy.
In the US, about 50 junior school children from Grand
Prairie, Texas who completed a two week course on
wind power learned about Global Wind Day, turbines
and offshore wind farms. The students who were be-
tween eight and ten years old used reading, writing,
mathematics and science to understand wind power.
“It was everything wind,” according to Kyle Damon who
organised the unique programme. “Everyone enjoyed
it.”The students learned about the history of wind, the
power-generating industry, turbines and pitch, he said,
adding one group of students even built a model off-
shore wind farm in a tray of water.
To kick off a series of activities in the US surrounding
Global Wind Day, the American Wind Energy Associa-
tion (AWEA) highlighted “Five Wind Facts,” a concise
guide to the benefits wind energy offers America.
“Global Wind Day is a great opportunity to underscore
that wind works because it is vital to our nation’s eco-
nomic, energy, and environmental security,” said Den-
ise Bode, CEO of AWEA.
“With our ‘Five Wind Facts,’ we hope to encourage more
citizens to get involved in the campaign to increase
America’s use of wind energy, and to call on Congress
Norway
REACHING AROUND THE PLANET AND TOUCHING THE SKY
to pass a strong national Renewable Electricity Stand-
ard as part of energy and climate legislation.”
The Five Wind Facts are: wind works by creating jobs;
wind works for America’s rural communities; wind
works for consumers; wind works because it is inex-
haustible and reliable; and wind works by protecting
the environment.
Highlighting wind power at the very
centre of Europe’s capital
In Brussels, the erection of a 30-metre-long wind tur-
bine blade was certainly the highlight of the European
Wind Energy Association’s (EWEA) Global Wind Day.
The visibility couldn’t have been better — it was on the
Schuman roundabout, just a stone’s throw from the
European Commission and Council main buildings.
The sculpture was accompanied by information pan-
els in English, French and Flemish.
“We are very excited this project has worked out and
we were able to show that wind energy is not only pro-
viding environmental and economic benefits but can
also be an aesthetic object, a symbol for a renewable
energy future,” said Elke Zander, EWEA’s Campaigns
Officer.
The erection of the blade was just on time for the be-
ginning of the EU’s Green Week and the Belgian Fête
de l’Environnement, and EWEA also held a press con-
ference and a reception on 14 June at the foot of the
blade.
d
Scotlan
Global Wind Day 2010 gives the world a breath of fresh air
One EWEA staff member got an e-mail from a Com-
mission employee saying “Today looking at the Rond
Point I was [struck] by the incredibly beauty of a wind
blade. I have to tell you that this is the second most
beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life. I would keep
it there forever”.
At the same time as the blade was up in the centre of
Brussels, EWEA also launched a giant ‘breath of fresh
air’ banner at Brussels airport — sized 23m² and vis-
ible to people arriving and departing.
Wind power rightly deserves to celebrate its own spe-
cial day as a result of its increasing popularity and rap-
id growth around much of the world, according to the
Secretary General of the Global Wind Energy Council
(GWEC). “Imagine being able to harness the power of
nature in a sustainable way to create abundant clean
energy, tackle climate change, create jobs and end our
dangerous dependence on polluting fossil fuels”, Ste-
ve Sawyer said. “It’s not a dream, it’s wind energy —
and it definitely deserves a special day.”
Made prior to the second annual Global Wind Day,
Sawyer’s comments were a fitting assessment of the
emissions-free power-generating technology that is
sweeping the globe.
Christian Kjaer, Chief Executive of EWEA, agreed with
Sawyer.: “Wind Day has grown in popularity since its
launch in 2007 because wind power itself is breaking
all records,” he said. “In Europe more wind power was
installed in the last two years than any other energy-
generating technology.” 
UK
Sweden
7
Wind was in the air and concerned
people responded enthusiastically
And so Global Wind Day celebrations unfolded.
For instance, activities were organised at about 20 dif-
ferent locations to celebrate wind power as an energy
source. In all, more than 2,000 people participated
during Global Wind Day.
Activities included boat trips to Lillgrund Offshore-
park, the opening ceremony of the land-based wind
farm Brattön and visits to other wind farms around
Sweden.
The winner of the national photo contest launched
in connection with Global Wind Day was to receive a
prize during the annual wind conference Vind2010 in
Gothenburg, 15 to 17 September.  trailer was viewed by about 300,000 people. On the
Interest in “wind power on the schedule” was said to
be very high. About 100 schools, with approximately
8,000 students, had expressed their interest in visit-
ing a wind turbine.
On 13 June, in Varna, Bulgaria students from Vocation-
al High School of Electrotechnics, Professional High
School of Economics, Technical University and citizens
from the town of Novi Pazar had the opportunity to visit
the largest wind farm in the nation – AES St.Nikolа.
During the visits, participants witnessed how a wind
energy plant functions and had the unique opportunity
to enter a wind turbine nacelle and understand the
work mechanism.
On 15 June a concert on Global Wind Day took place
Scotland
8 USA
in the See Garden in Varna with the cooperation of
students from Professional High School of Economics.
Their great performance gathered an audience from
classmates to small children and adults. The concert
and an accompanying informational campaign aimed
to raise awareness about wind energy and its role in
overcoming energy and climate crisis.
Meanwhile in Germany, the Bundesverband Windener-
gie connected Global Wind Day to the top event of the
year, the World Cup of football in South Africa.
At public viewing places, the association showed a
30-second Global Wind Day trailer before different
matches. They did so in Gelsenkirchen, Düsseldorf,
Frankfurt, Leipzig, Hamburg, Tübingen, Oldenburg and
at many private events.
During the first German match against Australia, the
other days altogether, it was thought to have been
seen by approximately one million people.
In Japan, free Global Wind Day-related events took
place in a variety of locations between the 9 and 20
of June, including field trips to wind farms and running
competitions. The Norwegians had a public stand in
Oslo where they met up with Snorre Valen, the spokes-
person for the Socialist left party on environmental
policy and with Martin Henriksen, the leader of the
Youth Party to the Norwegian Labour Party.
Four wind farms opened across Ireland. Approximate-
ly 1,000 people visited wind farms and participated
in a wide range of activities. Families participated in
Japan
REACHING AROUND THE PLANET AND TOUCHING THE SKY
 balloon modelling, face painting and entertainment
and students learnt about how turbines work.
Leaping from a turbine, playing green
football and visiting Leicester Square
In Austria, fun and celebration were in vogue as wind
energy was highlighted as a clean power source. This
year, celebrations took place in 16 places throughout
the country.
At one of the country’s main events, a crane measuring
the same height as an average onshore turbine lifted
people up high to get a bird’s eye view of a wind farm.
Another spectacle took place in Lower Austria when a
professional skydiver leapt from the top of a turbine,
opened his parachute and sailed down to the watch-
ing crowd below.
Martin Fliegenschnee-Jaksch, from the Austrian Wind
Energy Association, described the events in Austria as
a “huge success” attracting hundreds of people de-
spite the scorching heat.
Related events in the nation also took place in Up-
per Austria and Burgenland and included a bike tour
through a wind park and a wind power-themed cabaret.
On June 11 in Greece, a painting competition with the
theme “Wind energy: a breath of fresh air for the plan-
et” that was announced in March — and which gener-
ated over 350 paintings — was exhibited in the cul-
ture centre in the heart of Athens.
a
Argentin
Global Wind Day 2010 gives the world a breath of fresh air
Two days later, 20 young artists received awards and
ecological toys sponsored by the Public Power Corpo-
ration of Greece.
A five-a-side Green Football League, organised over
the weekend of 12th and 13th of June, included 21
teams from companies and organisations involved in
renewable energy sources. The final was won by BEN-
ER, a wind resource assessment company.
Once again the Hellenic Wind Energy Association
(HWEA) chose Syntagma Square in Athens as the fo-
cal center of Global Wind Day events. This year HWEA’s
members and volunteers (under a scorching sun and
temperatures of 44°C) handed out leaflets to eager
citizens and presented children with the toys and ma-
terials provided by EWEA.
As is becoming customary, political leaders of all par-
ties showed up to pledge their support for wind ener-
gy, including Minister Tina Birbili, Deputy Minister Yan-
nis Maniatis and Secretary Kostas Mathioudakis of
the Environment, Energy and Climate Change Ministry,
Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Spyros Kouvelis and
former Parliamentary President and Development Min-
ister Dimitris Sioufas.
London celebrated wind power in style with a 13.5m
turbine right in the middle of Leicester Square during
a week of Global Wind Day events.
Chris Huhne, UK Sectretary of State for Energy and
Climate Change, visited the fully functioning turbine
and said that wind energy is “at the heart of” the UK’s
plans for renewable energy.
Adam Bell from Renewable UK said that the turbine
would attract the eyes of the 200,000 people passing
through Leicester Square on a daily basis.
Sweden
UK
9
Many wind farms across the country were open to
the public, an occasion Huhne labelled as a chance
to “raise awareness of the opportunities there are for
energy security, jobs and business from the industry.”
The 2010 edition of Global Wind Day was yet anoth-
er big success with EWEA’s and GWEC’s established
and reliable network building up on the experiences
gathered in the past few years and a wide range of
newcomers enthusiastically joining in in spreading
the positive messages about the many advantages of
wind energy.
EWEA and GWEC have already gathered 100 press
clippings from all over the world. Media included
The New York Times, Reuters, Europolitics, ANSA, La
Repubblica, Le Tribune and UPI, as well as publica-
tions from China, Japan, Sweden, Denmark and South
America.
Sources: EWEA, GWEC, national wind energy associations, published
and broadcast news reports, various websites.
Photos: AEE, APEE, APERe, Asociación Argentina de Energia Eolica,
AWEA, BWE, CANWEA, EWEA, IG Windkraft, GWEC, JWPA, Magyar
Szélenergia Társág, NORWEA, Renewable UK, RES Group, RWEA,
Svensk Vindenergi, Youths of Nature

EWEA and GWEC have distributed promotional tools to national Global Wind Day coordinators, including
pins, caps, lollipops, beach balls, keyrings, yoyos and hand-held wind-wheels. Organisers could order large
numbers of these promotional items through EWEA.

10 REACHING AROUND THE PLANET AND TOUCHING THE SKY

Global Wind Day – organised by EWEA and GWEC
The Wind Day was first held in 2007, as the European
Wind Day organised by the European Wind Energy As-
sociation (EWEA). The main idea was to connect a
network of partners as well as using centralised com-
munication tools, press releases and distribution of
gadgets and coordinate of event organised by national
wind energy associations and companies active in the
wind energy field. The Wind Day in 2007 reached 18
countries, with a participation of circa 35,000 people.
By 2008, the event’s reach extended to 20 European
countries and attracted 100,000 people.
In 2009, EWEA joined forces with the Global Wind
Energy Council (GWEC) and extended the reach from
European associations and companies to coordinate
Wind Day events across the globe. That year, the 300
events in 35 countries across the globe reached up to
1,000,000 people.
Argentina
d
Scotlan
Global Wind Day 2010 gives the world a breath of fresh air
In 2010, 220 events took place in 30 countries, in-
cluding the display of a 29.5m wind turbine blade in
Brussels next to the main buildings of European Com-
mission and European Council and again reaching
more than 1,000,000 people.
Global Wind Day sends the message across the world
that wind energy is a key solution to the looming ener-
gy crisis – our over-dependency on imported and finite
fossil fuels – and the climate change crisis. It helps
people realise that wind energy is a popular and main-
stream power technology – a solution to our modern
problems that is already working.
All kinds of events are organised during and around
Global Wind Day: from wind farm open days, confer-
ences, exhibitions, workshops and information days to
regattas, sporting contests and theatre shows, there
is something for everyone, everywhere.
Please visit www.globalwindday.org for more
infor­ma­tion.
UK
11
www.ewea.org

About EWEA
EWEA is the voice of the wind industry, actively promoting the utilisation of wind power in
Europe and worldwide. It now has over 650 members from almost 60 countries including
manufacturers with a 90% share of the world wind power market, plus component suppliers,
research institutes, national wind and renewables associations, developers, electricity
providers, finance and insurance companies and consultants.

80 Rue d’Arlon | B-1040 Brussels

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