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Difference between revisions of "Ecological Aspects - Wind Energy"
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| + | [[Portal:Wind|► Back to Wind Portal]] | ||
= Overview = | = Overview = | ||
| − | Wind Energy clearly has ecological impacts | + | Wind Energy clearly has ecological impacts: it contributes to climate protection and can prevent environmental damages, e.g. caused by fossil fuels. However, wind energy plants can also raise concerns as will be shown in the following. In the course of planning for wind energy, the assessment of impacts on the ecology are as well part of the initial investigation. |
= Land Use<br/> = | = Land Use<br/> = | ||
| − | = | + | The impact of wind energy projects on land use depends on the site: wind turbines on flat land occupy more land as compared to the one placed on hilly areas and offshore wind turbines occupy more space than land based wind turbines as the turbines and blades are bigger.<ref name="Clean Energy">Union of Concerned Scientists,2013.Available at:http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/renewable-energy/environmental-impacts-wind-power.html </ref> |
| − | = | + | According to a survey by National Renewable Energy Laboratory, "''Large wind facilities in the United States typically use between 30 and 141 acres per megawatt of power output capacity (a typical new utility-scale wind turbine is about 2 megawatts). However, less than 1 acre per megawatt is disturbed permanently and less than 3.5 acres per megawatt are disturbed temporarily during construction''.<ref name="Clean Energy">_</ref> |
| − | = | + | However, wind turbines built on abandoned land could reduce concern about land use. The offshore wind turbines also interfere with other activities like fishing, sand and gravel extraction and other recreational activities.<ref name="Clean Energy">_</ref> |
| + | Thus, utmost care should be taken to minimize the land use during wind energy construction. | ||
| + | = Wildlife = | ||
| − | = | + | Wind turbines could potentially harm the wildlife especially the bats and the birds. The birds could collide with the wind turbines or lose their habitat during wind turbines construction. Offshore wind turbine are also believed to disturb the marine habitat. However, there are also reports which suggest that offshore wind turbines increase fish population by acting as artificial reef.<ref name="Clean Energy">_</ref> |
| − | + | Thus, more research is required to understand the impact of wind turbines on wildlife. | |
| + | = Further Information = | ||
| + | *[http://windeis.anl.gov/guide/concern http://windeis.anl.gov/guide/concern|windeis.anl.gov] | ||
| + | *[http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/renewable-energy/environmental-impacts-wind-power.html|ucsusa.org ] | ||
= References = | = References = | ||
<references /> | <references /> | ||
| + | |||
| + | <br/><ref name="Clean Energy">Union of Concerned Scientists,2013.Available at:http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/renewable-energy/environmental-impacts-wind-power.html </ref> | ||
[[Category:Wind]] | [[Category:Wind]] | ||
[[Category:Impacts]] | [[Category:Impacts]] | ||
Revision as of 12:00, 12 August 2014
Overview
Wind Energy clearly has ecological impacts: it contributes to climate protection and can prevent environmental damages, e.g. caused by fossil fuels. However, wind energy plants can also raise concerns as will be shown in the following. In the course of planning for wind energy, the assessment of impacts on the ecology are as well part of the initial investigation.
Land Use
The impact of wind energy projects on land use depends on the site: wind turbines on flat land occupy more land as compared to the one placed on hilly areas and offshore wind turbines occupy more space than land based wind turbines as the turbines and blades are bigger.[1]
According to a survey by National Renewable Energy Laboratory, "Large wind facilities in the United States typically use between 30 and 141 acres per megawatt of power output capacity (a typical new utility-scale wind turbine is about 2 megawatts). However, less than 1 acre per megawatt is disturbed permanently and less than 3.5 acres per megawatt are disturbed temporarily during construction.[1]
However, wind turbines built on abandoned land could reduce concern about land use. The offshore wind turbines also interfere with other activities like fishing, sand and gravel extraction and other recreational activities.[1]
Thus, utmost care should be taken to minimize the land use during wind energy construction.
Wildlife
Wind turbines could potentially harm the wildlife especially the bats and the birds. The birds could collide with the wind turbines or lose their habitat during wind turbines construction. Offshore wind turbine are also believed to disturb the marine habitat. However, there are also reports which suggest that offshore wind turbines increase fish population by acting as artificial reef.[1]
Thus, more research is required to understand the impact of wind turbines on wildlife.
Further Information
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Union of Concerned Scientists,2013.Available at:http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/renewable-energy/environmental-impacts-wind-power.html Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "Clean Energy" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "Clean Energy" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "Clean Energy" defined multiple times with different content
- ↑ Union of Concerned Scientists,2013.Available at:http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/renewable-energy/environmental-impacts-wind-power.html
