In order to be able to deal with future challenges, the wind power sector needs to be aware of its history and how it has been able to grow and become a flourishing industry. Experts in wind power history recently gathered at the German Windpower Museum in Stemwede, northern Germany, to support efforts aimed at strengthening the international archiving of wind energy records. The meeting was part of a broader initiative led by the World Wind Energy Association (WWEA) to connect existing archives and encourage the establishment of new ones worldwide.
By Stefan Gsänger, Secretary General, World Wind Energy Association, Germany
A key partner in this initiative is the Mills Archive Trust, based in the UK. The Trust holds a collection of more than three million items related to the history of wind and water power and brings significant expertise in cataloguing and disseminating historical material.
As part of the project, titled ‘Mills to Megawatts: The Story of Wind Energy Across Europe’, an interactive map will be developed and made publicly accessible. This map will link countries, sites, individuals and community groups and will document the historical development of wind energy. The project will draw together historical and contemporary sources and provide digital access to material on key people, locations and inventions.
The German Windpower Museum plays a central role, with a growing collection of artefacts that reflect the evolution of wind energy technologies. The collaboration seeks to highlight the long and diverse history of renewable energy – from traditional uses of wind and watermills, to early experiments with wind-generated electricity in the 19th century and the systematic development of modern wind power from the 1970s onward.
Supported by the Council of Europe and the European Union, the project also benefits from the involvement of the Nordic Folkecenter for Renewable Energy. Together with the Mills Archive Trust and WWEA, the initiative aims to create a more comprehensive and accessible record of wind power’s historical and technological progress in Europe and beyond.
Further information is available on the Mills to Megawatts website: https://new.millsarchive.org/mills-to-megawatts/
