How long does it take a wind farm to pay back its carbon footprint?

Question

Constructing a wind farm must make a huge carbon emmissions footprint if you include every part of its Development,Manufacture,Construction and Maintenance.

Do they have the lifespan to ever get into a positive balance?

Would it be more efficient to give away low energy lightbulbs to every household and business's to reduce emmissions and consumption?

Answer 1

There is a carbon footprint for wind farms, especially offshore which use a lot of concrete, an major source of CO2; but much less than building traditional fossil fuel and nuclear generators, eg stainless steel for turbines, pipes & lagging, containment vessels fuel transport networks etc
The saving of Co2 by windfarms over conventional sources is therefore positive from the point of conception

Yes it is more efficeint to get people to reduce consumption;
however this is contrary to the current belief/economic model of infinite growth and cheap resources.There is also a Co2 footprint for low energy devices - glass manufacture, transportation etc.
There are many schemes, usually by the energy supply companies, giving away free low energy lightbulbs

The only real solution is in our attitude to resource usage, as pointed out in the Club of Rome report "limits to growth". The problem is instead of taking timely corrective action for a "soft landing" our civilisation has accelerated towards the wall of all sourts of resource & population limits, and now add in climate change too.

Answer 2

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