Resource Library Category: Europe
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Documents presented here are not the product of nor are they necessarily endorsed by National Wind Watch. This resource library is provided to assist anyone wishing to research the issue of industrial wind power and the impacts of its development. The information should be evaluated by each reader to come to their own conclusions about the many areas of debate.
When the Wind Stops
Author: Hyde, William; and Webley, John
The other side of the wind turbine argument, from Kentish Weald Action Group (KWAG)
Go to: “When the Wind Stops”
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Claimed and realistic carbon dioxide emissions savings and electricity generation
Author: Jefferson, Michael
Claimed and realistic carbon dioxide emissions savings and electricity generation from a proposed wind energy development at Airfield Farm, Hinwick, North Bedfordshire an independent evaluation prepared at the request of CLOWD (Campaign to Limit Onshore Windfarm Developments)
Download “Claimed and realistic carbon dioxide emissions savings and electricity generation”
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Incidents and images of damage to wind energy converters
Author: Alt, Helmut
“According to estimates by the German insurance association, GDV, a total of € 30 million were paid in premiums for insuring the wind machines compared to almost € 45 million paid in damages for plant outages (this corresponds to around 0.3 ct/kWh).”
From “The economics of wind energy within the generation mix” (”Energiewirtschaftliche Bedeutung der Windenergie im Stromerzeugungsmix”) [click to download]
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Darbyshire Dales Ramblers statement on wind turbines
Author: Darbyshire Dales Group, Ramblers' Association
Since wind turbines –
are a means of generating electricity that is intermittent, expensive and can have no relevance to world climate change;
cause nuisance and distress for people living nearby, and have possibly harmful effects on health;
are imposed by the government under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989, frequently in the face of strong local opposition, thereby overruling the decisions of democratically elected local authorities;
harm wildlife habitats;
damage tourism and hence the local economy;
entail the . . .
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Balancing Fluctuating Wind Energy with Fossil-Fuel Power Stations
Author: Leonhard, W.; and Müller, K.
‘The simulation results show that even at this low penetration of wind energy, the infeed causes a hidden increase of the specific fuel consumption in remote fossil generating stations; in other words, they are now producing less electrical energy but with a higher fuel consumption and CO2- emissions per kWh. Substantial power reserves are necessary to guard against uncertainties of the wind power forecast and possible protective shut-downs of windfarms, which further strengthens the tendency towards a less efficient part-load-operation . . .
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Impact of a large-scale offshore wind farm on meteorology
Author: Rooijmans, Pim
Abstract
In this thesis the meteorological effects of a large-scale (9000 km2) offshore wind farm in the North Sea were simulated using the MM5 mesoscale model. The wind farm was simulated by introducing a higher roughness length (0.5 m) in the area of the wind farm. The meteorological effects were examined by comparing model runs with and without wind farm. Turbulent kinetic energy, cloud formation, precipitation and wind speed reduction were studied. Two case studies with westerly flows were performed. The . . .
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Evidence to the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee inquiry into ‘The Economics of Renewable Energy’
Author: Bratby, Philip
10 My evidence is mainly concerned with wind power stations for generating electricity. This is because these form the major component of all major country’s future renewable energy policies. …
11 The most important consideration for the future electricity supply has to be security of that supply. …
12 Security of supply implies firm generation capacity with a margin above the peak (winter) demand. The firm generation is supplied by baseload power stations (such as nuclear) and despatchable (controlled by the grid) power (such as coal, gas . . .
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Amplitude Modulation of Wind Turbine Noise
Author: Bowdler, Dick
A Review of the Evidence
“Conclusions: It seems probable that there are two distinct mechanisms in operation to create amplitude modulation. The first is swish which is a function of the observer’s position relative to one turbine. The second is thump which is due to turbine blades passing through uneven air velocities as they rotate. In the second case the uneven air may be due to interaction of other turbines, excessive wind shear or topography. These two . . .
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Evaluation de l'impact du parc éolien de Bouin (Vendée) sur l'avifaune et les chauves-souris
Author: Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux
“Evaluation of the impact of the Bouin (Vendée) wind energy facility on birds and bats”, by the Bird Protection League (France) Perrine Dulac, editor
Pour un sommaire français, voir à Fédération Environnement Durable (cliquer).
English summary by Mark Duchamp:
A five-year monitoring report of 8 wind turbines near the coast in Vendée, France, by the French ornithological society LPO (Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux), discloses the following:
bird mortality: 5.7 to 33.8 per turbine/year, depending upon the year and the estimation method. It . . .
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Visual and acoustic impact of wind turbine farms on residents
Author: van den Berg, Frits; Pedersen, Eja; Bouma, Jelte; and Bakker, Roel
Wind turbines more annoying than expected
The WINDFARMperception project shows that the sound of wind turbines causes relatively much annoyance. The sound is perceived at relatively low levels and is thought to be more annoying than equally loud air or road traffic. This may be caused by the swishing character of the sound or because at night it does not decrease in strength — which is usually the case for traffic noise. Also in this study more disturbance of sleep occurs . . .
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