#MoveTheDate
1.2
Days
Based on scenarios calculated by Project Drawdown, the adoption of offshore wind turbines would move the date of Earth Overshoot Day 1.2 days by 2050.
What is the solution?
Wind power is a zero-emissions, renewable energy source. Offshore wind turbines take advantage of stronger coastal area winds to generate higher energy yields.
This solution improves our resource security in the energy category.
How does it #MoveTheDate?
Wind energy is a powerful, clean alternative to fossil fuel energy. Implementing wind energy as part of a broader transition to renewables can reduce the ecological footprint of the energy sector.
How is it scalable?
Although the initial cost of installing offshore wind turbines is high, the lifetime savings associated with this technology has the potential to offset that cost. Additionally, greater investment in research and development will likely bring down the costs of implementation in the coming decades.
What is the solution?
Wind power is a zero-emissions, renewable energy source. Offshore wind turbines take advantage of stronger coastal area winds to generate higher energy yields.
This solution improves our resource security in the energy category.
How does it #MoveTheDate?
Wind energy is a powerful, clean alternative to fossil fuel energy. Implementing wind energy as part of a broader transition to renewables can reduce the ecological footprint of the energy sector.
How is it scalable?
Although the initial cost of installing offshore wind turbines is high, the lifetime savings associated with this technology has the potential to offset that cost. Additionally, greater investment in research and development will likely bring down the costs of implementation in the coming decades.
The first offshore wind turbine was installed off the coast of Denmark in 1991. In the past three decades, the industry has gained traction and drawn substantial investment due to its potential to generate a steady supply of clean, renewable energy at a highly competitive cost compared to conventional fossil fuels. Today, 34% of the world’s offshore wind capacity is generated in the UK.
Although wind energy is often seen as less reliable due to its dependence on weather conditions, offshore sites provide a strong solution and the technology is rapidly improving—between the years 2007 and 2017, the average capacity of turbines increased by 102%. The costs associated with installing and operating wind turbines have also come down due to developments in this technology. Offshore wind energy has the potential to replace high-emissions fossil fuels to support the transition to a low-carbon future. Investing in robust renewable technologies will be necessary to end ecological overshoot.
Calculations for this solution are based on work done by our friends at Project Drawdown. You can get more information about this solution and their calculation methodology here.
There’s no benefit in waiting!
Acting now puts you at a strategic advantage in a world increasingly defined by ecological overshoot. Countless solutions exist that #MoveTheDate. They’re creative, economically viable, and ready to deploy at scale. With them, we can make ourselves more resilient and #MoveTheDate of Earth Overshoot Day. If we move the date 6 days each year, humanity can be out of overshoot before 2050.