Comenius Green Skills for a Global Change

Wendeling 59
7824 TB EMMEN
Tel: 0591 - 622 870
Fax: 0591 - 628 614

European Commission
B-1049 Brussels, Belgium
Fax: 0032 (0)2 298 82 88
Email: janez.potocnik@ec.europa.eu

1 October 2014

Dear Mr. Potocnik,

We, students of the Comenius project, Green Skills for a Global Change, want to bring your
attention to the use of wind-energy in Europe. We want to convince you and the European
Parliament into using more wind-energy in Europe. Wind-energy will improve Europe.
First of all, wind-energy is clean, sustainable and renewable. The world is warming up due to
the increasing of the greenhouse effect. We are, altogether, part of that greenhouse effect. We
burn limited fossil fuels, which increase the greenhouse effect. It is very clear that the energy
sector is by far the biggest source of the increase of the greenhouse effect. We should change
this. Wind energy will lower the life cycle of carbon footprint, which is one of the many
reasons we should use wind-energy. It will be better for the environment we live in.
Wind-power is a proven technology that could decrease the greenhouse effect on a big scale.
It isnt only easy to obtain wind-energy, it is also not very expensive. Due to the ask for windenergy, costs will continue to decrease. The power is essentially free once the infrastructure is
paid for. We could also build it almost anywhere we want, even at sea, which would be ideal.
That brings me to my next point.
At sea, we will obtain most wind-energy because sea is a very windy place. It will be more
expensive, but we will have earned it back relatively quickly. As an example; in the
Netherlands, there are plans about building a windmill park at sea. In 2020, 14% of the energy
used should be sustainable energy, which will have to increase upto 16% in the next three
years. The Netherlands will build windmill parks on land and at sea. If the Netherlands will
build these parks at sea, the windmills will provide the country of 4.450 megawatt of clean
energy, only at sea. If we add up the energy on land too, we will get to a number of 6000
megawatt. This will be enough to provide 3.6 million households with sustainable energy.

Building these parks isnt only good for the globe, it is also good for the economy. 15000
people will be able to be provided with a job, too.

There have been speculations all over the globe about the building of windmill parks not only
on land but also at sea. People wouldnt like the view anymore, seeing only windmills and not
the beautiful nature. But we must remind you, and everybody else, if we continue to emit CO2
any longer the way we are doing now, we might not see the beautiful nature in a while. The
globe will have changed so much, that it will be a place with increasing natural disasters
almost everywhere. The temperatures will have risen to unbelievable heights and we will have
a lot of trouble dealing with the more and more occurring floodings everywhere. We will have
a lot of trouble dealing with the heat and drought in certain parts of not only Europe, but also
the rest of the globe. Therefore, we shouldnt speculate too much about the view of nature
after there are windmills installed, because nature will be ruined if we keep using
unsustainable products. It is time we start doing something about climate change.
Most of the cons of wind-energy are local, like I mentioned before; the view is a local
problem. All the pros of wind-energy are global, the world will become a healthier place. If
we, in Europe start using more sustainable wind-energy, soon the world will be a better place
regarding climate changes. If we start now, we will not be too late saving the glorious globe.
Thank you for your time and effort and thank you for your consideration. We would surely
appreciate a positive response to our letter, due to the importance of the subject. We have
faith in the European Union and its Parliament.

Yours sincerely,

Students of the Comenius project, Green Skills for a Global Change.