Focus

During the last 30 years, wind energy technology has emerged as the leading renewable alternative to electrical power production from fossil fuels. Commercial development and deployment, driven by lower capital costs, technical innovations, and international standards, continue to facilitate installed capacity growth at a rate of 30%–40% per year worldwide [1]. Utility-class machines exceed 2 MW, with robust designs providing 95%–98% availability. Future technology advances will focus on lowering the cost of land-based systems and evolving next-generation technology for ocean deployments in both shallow and deep water.

Synopsis

Wind energy technology is poised to play a major role in delivering carbon-free electrical power worldwide. Advanced technology and manufacturing innovations have helped the cost of wind energy drop from $0.45 per kW·h 30 years ago to $0.05–$0.06 per kW·h, thus positioning wind energy to be directly competitive with fossil-fuel power generation. In 2009, wind technology accounted for 39% of all new electrical generation in the USA [2]. Worldwide, wind deployment continues to penetrate new markets, with power-plant installations spanning months instead of years. In the European Union, cumulative wind power capacity increased by an average of 32% per year between 1995 and 2005, reaching 74,767 MW by the end of 2009 [3]. The USA leads the world in total installed capacity, while India and China are emerging as major potential markets. Wind energy can no longer be considered European-centric and has become an international alternative to fossil-fuel power generation.

Pascal states that faith is a gift of God, not the result of a process of reasoning (Pensées, L 7, 588/S 41, 487). In which case, we might ask, what is the point of an apology for the Christian religion? Suppose I am persuaded to adopt Christianity by arguments for the existence of God, and then for the unique status of Christianity as a divine revelation: in that case, my belief will be based on the human faculty of reasoning, and faith is not necessarily a gift of God. Or if faith is a gift of God, why should I trouble to study the proofs of Christianity? If God intends me to have faith, He will give it; if I do not have it, is that my fault? God could have given it to me, and has not. In either case, where is the place for argument?

Another problem. Pascal elsewhere says that the would-be but not-yet believer should fulfil the external rituals of religion: taking holy water and so forth. That will bring about belief: ‘Cela vous fera croire’ (L 418/S 680). In other words, the way to belief is through forsaking one’s human faculty of reasoning (refraining from asking what possible good holy water can do me) and adopting a purely mechanical mode of behaviour that puts one on a level with the animals (‘cela vous abêtira’).1 In this case also, where is the gift of God?