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Above: Steve Sawyer Below: The Global Wind Energy Outlook cover.less of an issue now when fossil fuel prices are at decadal lows, just a few years ago the money pouring out of oil importing states was crippling many developing economies and causing major headaches for the rest. Every kilowatt-hour of electricity generated by wind power can displace an equivalent amount of imported fossil fuel. Renewable energy is by definition indigenous, and at least in a practical sense, will not be depleted within any time frame that matters. ■CONCLUSIONSince the oil embargoes of the 1970s, the emergence of climate change as a global threat in the late 1980s and through to the negotiations in Paris last December, there has been much talk of the role renewable energy can play to solve our energy dilemmas. But that was always going to be ‘sometime in the future’, when costs come down. Well, the future is now, and the cost issue is all but gone. It is merely now a question of summoning the political will to put together the programmes and policies which will enable the smoothest transition to a global energy system based on renewable energy, led by wind. References1https://cleantechnica.com/2016/06/16/us-wind-industry-highlights-66-drop-costs-wind-generated-electricity/2https://www.windpowerengineering.com/policy/awea-interim-ceo-rob-gramlich-addresses-house-committee-on-energy-power/3http://www.gwec.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Global-Installed-Wind-Power-Capacity-MW-–-Regional-Distribution.jpg4https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/wp/2015/wp15105.pdf5http://blueandgreentomorrow.com/2016/09/22/bottom-class-two-faced-world-bank-climate-change-scorecard/6http://www.ewea.org/uploads/pics/Windpower_Myths.png; http://www.distgen.co/top-10-wind-energy-myths-busted/; http://www.aweablog.org/fact-check-awea-represents-american-wind-power/7https://www.iea.org/newsroomandevents/pressreleases/2015/october/renewables-to-lead-world-power-market-growth-to-2020.html8https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/may/18/portugal-runs-for-four-days-straight-on-renewable-energy-alone9http://www.ecowatch.com/costa-rica-powers-285-days-of-2015-with-100-renewable-energy-1882135438.html10https://www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication/weo-2016-special-report-energy-and-air-pollution.htmlABOUT THE AUTHORSteve Sawyer joined the Global Wind Energy Council as its first Secretary General in April 2007. The Global Wind Energy Council represents the major wind energy associations (China, India, Japan, Brazil, Mexico, Australia, Canada, USA, Europe, France, Germany, Greece, Spain, Denmark, Italy, Korea, South Africa and Turkey) as well as the major companies involved in the global wind industry.Mr Sawyer has worked in the energy and environment field since 1978, with a particular focus on climate change and renewable energy since 1988. He spent many years working for Greenpeace International, representing the organization at intergovernmental and industry fora, primarily on energy and climate issues. At GWEC he is focused on working with intergovernmental organizations such as the UNFCCC, IPCC, IRENA, IEA, IFC and ADB to ensure that wind power takes its rightful place in the energy options for the future; and with opening up new markets for the industry in Latin America, Africa and Asia.Mr Sawyer is also a founding member of both the REN21 Renewable Energy Policy Network and the IEA’s Renewable Industry Advisory Board. He advised the Chinese government on the formulation of its renewable energy legislation, as well as providing expert reviewing for the IPCC’s Working Group III. Mr Sawyer grew up in rural New Hampshire and holds a BA in Philosophy from Haverford College. He has lived in Amsterdam since 1989. Photo Credit: Dado DanielaSUSTAINABLE ENERGY 059