Are wind farms as good for the environment as we are lead to believe?

Answer 1

As some of the other answers suggest, wind farms are probably good for the environment in the long run due to the net energy balance over the life cycle of the wind farm. Although their is fossil fuel use in their production, an EROIE (Energy Return Over Energy Invested)calculation would show how long it would take to 'neutralise' this.

The most important factor in the success of a turbine is it's location - obviously a huge turbine located where ther is no wind will be useless. District scale wind turbines are quite good - where a couple of 1GWatt turbines can produce enough electricity to ppwer thousands of homes.

Surveys have been done on the impact of migratory paths of birds and it has been found that they generally do swerve around them, and actually cattle grazing grazing under wind turbines have been found to actually produce more milk because of the more comfortable microclimate (it's less windy under a turbine)

Off shore wind power is a growing industry in the UK too, - it deals with the visual impacts some people complain about (unless you're out on a boat)


In the UK however, we have a huge potential for tidal power as well - but it is a new industry and in its infacncy. i don't know which one would be better regarding wildlife (probably not good for the fish (if ther'es any left nowaday's)

Answer 2

Wind farms are clearly not good for the environment per se. Absolutely not. They use up energy and natural resources in their creation and they disturb wildlife during their useful life.

The question is, if we take the need for electrical energy as a give, are they relatively less environmentally damaging than other methods of generating power?

Their competition is not very promising:-
- Coal or oil fired powerstations (bloody disatrous)
- Nuclear powered (short term not too bad, but long term oh my god what they hell do we think we are playing at)
- Hydro-electric (probably at least as good as wind farms, but not sufficiently widely available)

On balance then, they seem like a pretty good choice given the alternative.

Go ahead and let us know if you have a better idea (or were you just going to rubbish wind farms without offering anything positive as an alternative?)

Answer 3

Environmentally speaking, wind farms create no pollution through their use, and harness energy from an infinite resource. Energy is needed in their manufacture, which generally comes from the national grid, i.e oil, coal gas or nuclear power to create them. Given a long enough lifespan for the windmill however, the energy given back would be a net gain, meaning that they are efficielnt in the long run.

Downsides are that they are an eyesore to some people, and also create noise pollution to people in the locality. They would not be able to function as a sole energy supply, as days with little wind would yield little energy, and current technologies cannot store energy efficiently.

Answer 4

I think so, as they create energy with no pollution. Certainly better than nuclear energy.
Once they have been there a while the birds keep away from them - - (source Bill Oddie Spring Watch) as birds are not as daft as people think they are. I don't think they are an eyesore - i live behind a McDonalds - now there is an eyesore (it was built after i moved in)
I also think those out to sea are a good idea as well, as they have no neighbours to annoy.
I also think that the government should start making people who hve new roofs have solar panels in them and give a grant, that would help too.

Answer 5

I believe so after all the one thing that is guaranteed in the Britain is wind. These structures are beautiful i don't understand all those people who say 'not on my doorstep'. If i looked out on wind turbines i would think that they are far more beautiful than parked cars and towers of flats. They have to be better than nuclear energy, let's face it, if in the future the technology was surpassed it wouldn't cost a fortune or take decades to dismantle.

Answer 6

Wind farms are beautiful and iconic structures, i don't know anyone who would prefer to have a fossil fuel power station near their house than a wind farm.

Answer 7

A wind farm under development in Scotland has involved excavation of a million cubic metres of peat. They will then have to quarry a million cubic metres of rock to make crushed stone to replace the peat! That all takes energy besides the damage of the excavation and quarrying.

Answer 8

Well in-terms
> Levels of pollution
> Damageing waste products e.g. nuclear waste
> Risk of widespread and long lasting damage to people,animals, land, water supplies as result of an accident or malfunction or sabotage etc e.g. Chernobyl

Wind farms win hands down. The only issue is they mar the landscape, bit of an eye sore.. but it is better than suffering any of the above.

Answer 9

I think there could be a concern when the farm is so huge that it blocks migratory flight paths of birds who, because they are on automatic pilot - fly straight in to them.
I am swaying more towards people having a solar generator for their personal home use as well as reducing consumption of electricity.

Answer 10

I am a Hawaii resident.
Look up "Wind Farms" in Hawaii.
Have you ever heard of something called a "Tradewind"?
Key to your resarch would be the location to key windfarm energy production at:

Southpoint, Hawaii
(Big Island)

Aloha