Saving Our Planet, Universal Peace Possible Solely Through Creation of Job Opportunities

Modern wind turbines are propelled by one of two effects: drag, by which wind pushes the blades; and lift, by which the blades are moved in the same way an aircraft wing rises on an air current. Turbines operated by lift turn more rapidly and are inherently more efficient. Wind turbines can be classified as horizontal-axis machines, with their main shafts parallel to the ground, or vertical-axis machines, with shafts perpendicular to the ground. Scientists have estimated that as much as 10 percent of the world’s electricity could be provided by wind generators by the middle of the 21st century. Wind turbine generators consist of a variety of components. The rotor converts the power of the wind to the rotating power of the shaft; a gearbox increases speed; and a generator converts the shaft power into electrical power. Modern machines usually start operating when wind speeds reach about 19 km/h (12 mph), achieve their rated power at about 40 to 48 km/h (25 to 30 mph), and shut down in wind speeds of about 100 km/h (60 mph). The best sites for turbine generators have annual average wind speeds of at least 21 km/h (13 mph).

The Dane Nordex GmbH Company is one of the leading companies in the world which has achieved great successes in building wind turbines. Mr. Fleming Pedersen, who runs Nordex Company with his two sons, is due in Iran to help Iran in starting to build wind turbines. Mr. Pedersen has had, in his former visits to Iran, talks with Tehran Mayor Mr. Alviri, Head of Recycling Department of Tehran Municipality, Davoud Tajeran, and deputy governor general of Isfahan, Mr. Tehrani in terms of creating job opportunities. TEHRAN TIMES made a telephone interview with the younger son of Mr. Pedersen, Jens, of which the excerpt follows.

Jens Pedersen said so far 11,000 megawatts of wind turbines have been installed worldwide. Mr. Pedersen went on to picturize the relationship between use of wind turbines and reduction of air pollution, saying since wind is a non-polluting energy generator, wherever wind turbines are installed no pollution is produced. “I can say that basically wind is our fuel.” He estimated the number of jobs created by wind turbines directly or indirectly to total 50 or 60 thousand throughout the world. As to the ways to reduce air pollution in Tehran, which is mainly caused by cars, Mr. Pedersen said the first and best way is to use more efficient cars until you have the technology to make electric cars. He also said there was the possibility to use renewable energy sources like solar or wind energy. He said Iran would need to spend a lot of money on projects to reduce air pollution. “However,” he went on to say, “spending money on reduction of air pollution is, in fact, a way to save a lot of money. It will be to the benefit of everyone in the society if initiatives are taken in this respect. First and most important outcome is that such initiatives guarantee health and welfare of the citizens. Wind turbines are likely to install in Iran. The importance is that you should get it started. People should believe that it’s possible to use turbines. People should know they can get a lot of energy out of turbines. They need not import turbines. They have at hand the technology, they have the related companies to construct the related buildings, etc.” He said we would not need to reduce air pollution by 100 percent but what we should do is to only cut it down by 20 percent and “nature will get rid of the rest.”

“I believe through the installation of wind turbine in Iran, many job opportunities can be created for the people,” he said. Asked to comment on his father’s idea about his previous visit to Iran, Mr. Pedersen said his father is an ideological man and that he started the company due to his interest in contributing to public welfare. “We aim at helping Iranian companies to start building wind turbines in the future. Maybe the Iranians should get the first wind turbines from here in order to get the feeling but not more because they can then start making wind turbines themselves.”

Meanwhile, the international environmentalist Engineer Mohammad Sani, who has proved his pure faith to his home country and compatriots by organizing visits of foreign environmentalists and environmental activists to Iran, set out on a 12-day long trip last month starting from Copenhagen. He made his way through Singapore, Auckland, Los Angeles, San Antonio, Texas, Houston, and New York, where he addressed meetings and seminars on environment, and reduction of air pollution. Engineer Sani said: “Now the population rate in Los Angeles stands at 4 million and the number of vehicles has grown to 4.5 million. The Los Angeles airport hosts over 150 million passengers annually, which means more air pollution to the city as a result of heavy air traffic.” Sani said he had gotten through to the governor general of California and discussed with him the ways for reducing air pollution there, “where we are going to start our activities from this coming January.” Sani met in San Antonio with environmentalist professor John W. Adams, who encouraged him for running the SAVING OUR PLANET Company, and promised Sani to cooperate with his company in the future. “Professor Adams and I agreed that he actively take part in the ever forthcoming seminars and gatherings on environmental topics in other states of the USA.”

Sani and the reporter of New York Radio held a meeting with the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), where they exchanged views on various perspectives of the functions of the UN. “One of the major responsibilities of the UN in the world is to establish peace and security,” said Engineer Sani, pointing to the present 42 wars and skirmishes which are being waged all throughout the world. “The Chechen war, 4 wars in Africa, India-Pakistan present friction, and skirmishes in Albania are good examples to show that peace, to a desirous level, does not exist. We came to the conclusion that the major reason behind outbreak of any war in the world is lack of jobs. In sum, the relation between peace and creating job opportunities through clean energies in the world is undeniable. In the year 2065, some 75 percent of jobs will be in relation to environmental activities including production of electric cars, using solar energy, conversion of wastes into electricity, etc. The sun is 150 million kilometers from the earth. The earth, therefore, only absorbs two-billionths of the sunlight. But even this small figure is 35,000 times bigger than the energy produced through burning other fuels,” said Sani, adding that the subject will be one of the main issues to be discussed in the International Seminar in the year 2000.”

Meanwhile, the Head of International Congress on Clean Energies, Ali Sayigh, has invited Engineer Sani to address the forthcoming International body. Engineer Sani runs the SAVING OUR PLANET Engineers Office, that specializes in design, manufacture, and construction of waste incineration and recycling units, solar panels, wind turbines, and electric cars, in collaboration with foreign companies active in related fields. “Man is the only being that has committed genocide during history. Experience shows that animals, during the 50 million years since their existence on the earth, have not disrupted the ecosystem while the sagacious man has created an imbalance in the ecosystem during the 200 years of the industrial revolution, to the extent that the planet is nearly annihilated.”