[ad_1]
A new study of Harvard University investigated the potential environmental effects of large-scale use of wind energy systems in the United States. The team found that wind energy production would have a much greater impact than reducing electricity emissions through solar energy.
According to the study, which is the most accurate modeling to date of the impact of the increase in wind energy on the climate, the production of wind energy at large scale would warm the continental United States by 0.24 degrees Celsius. The researchers discovered that it would take about a century to compensate for this warming.
"Wind turbines produce electricity but also alter the atmospheric flow," said the study's lead author, Lee Miller. "These effects redistribute heat and humidity into the atmosphere, which has an impact on the climate. We have tried to model these effects on a continental scale. "
David Keith, lead author of the study, is professor of engineering and public policy at Harvard.
"The wind beats coal according to all environmental measures, but that does not mean that its impacts are negligible," said Professor Keith. "We need to move quickly away from fossil fuels to stop carbon emissions. In doing so, we must choose between different low-carbon technologies, all of which have social and environmental impacts. "
The wind and solar energy survey was focused on comparing impacts and climate benefits with the help of a standard weather forecasting model. The researchers simulated the effect on the atmosphere of covering a third of the country with enough wind turbines to meet the current demand for electricity.
"The direct effects of wind energy on the climate are instantaneous, while the benefits are slowly accumulating," said Professor Keith. "If you are considering the next 10 years, wind energy has, in some ways, more impact on the climate than coal or gas. If you are planning the next thousand years, wind energy is much cleaner than coal or gas. "
Previously, at least ten studies have reported local warming from wind farms in the United States. When the experts compared their simulated warming to these observations, they found some consistency.
"The work should not be considered as a fundamental criticism of wind energy. Some of the impacts of the wind on the climate can be beneficial. The work should therefore rather be seen as a first step towards a more serious assessment of these impacts, "said Professor Keith. "We hope that our study, combined with recent direct observations, will mark a turning point in which the climate impacts of wind energy will begin to receive serious attention in strategic decisions to decarbonise the energy system.
The study is published in the journal Joule.
–
By Chrissy Sexton, Earth.com Editor
[ad_2]
Source link
