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Europe’s offshore wind industry reached a milestone several years ahead of schedule by achieving the cost of €100 (US$113) per MWh. Overall for wind energy, there has been a fast reduction in price over the last three years, falling almost 27 per cent since 2014. Some even predict a further reduction in price. But this hopeful advancement depends on the location and the available turbine, cable, and converter technology. Wind power’s fall in price marks a major victory for renewable energy because it makes the power source attractive economically as well as environmentally, which is crucial for its widespread adoption. It is unlikely that we will use less power as the world’s population increases and economic development continues. To meet the rising energy demand in the medium-to-long-term, new generations will increasingly make use of cleaner and greener options. Advances in wind power are especially promising, as it lays the path for renewables creating both individual and collective gain.CONCLUSIONWind power and other renewable energies enhance a country’s energy security. While that may be seen as a non-issue now when fossil fuel prices are at decadal lows, just a few years ago the money pouring out of oil-importing states crippled many developing economies and caused major difficulties 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.For all practical purposes the future is now, and the cost issue for wind power 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. ■ABOUT THE AUTHORShruti Shukla is Director, Policy and Global Projects, at the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC). She joined GWEC at the end of 2010. She has over 12 years of experience working in the field of energy policy and climate change. At GWEC she is responsible for the organisation’s market research and report writing and statistical analysis. She also is the team lead for the EU funded FOWIND project in India. She holds an MS in Environmental Policy and Regulation from the London School of Economics and a Master’s in Business Economics from the University of Delhi. ABOUT GWECThe Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) is the global trade association representing the wind industry. GWEC works at the highest international political level to create a better policy environment for wind power. GWEC’s mission is to ensure that wind power establishes itself as the answer to today’s energy challenges, providing substantial environmental and economic benefits. For more information visit: www.gwec.net.References1 https://www.economist.com/news/americas/21729007-region-must-adapt-climate-change-not-simply-rebuild-how-hurricane-irma-will-change 2 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/30/mumbai-paralysed-by-floods-as-india-and-region-hit-by-worst-monsoon-rains-in-years 3 https://nsidc.org/news/newsroom/arctic-sea-ice-maximum-record-low-third-straight-year 4 https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/we-just-breached-the-410-ppm-threshold-for-co2/5 https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2017-08-25/hurricane-harvey-may-add-to-debt-woes-of-us-flood-insurance-program6 http://files.gwec.net/register?file=/files/GlobalWindEnergyOutlook2016Pictured: Shruti ShuklaSUSTAINABLE ENERGY 049