Calculating carbon dioxide emissions avoided by addition of 946 MW wind power on Mass. state lands
Author:
Calculations show that the addition of 946 MW of wind power constructed on Massachusetts state lands, as proposed by the governor and lawmakers, would in theory avoid only 1.3% of the state’s total carbon dioxide emissions.
And that potential figure may be reduced by a number of factors, such as wind power’s own CO2 emissions from construction and maintenance (of transmission lines as well), continuing increased energy use, increasing use of lower-carbon energy sources, and possible inefficiencies due to responding to the variability of wind energy production.
