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Resource Documents: Impacts (130 items)
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Unless indicated otherwise, documents presented here are not the product of nor are they necessarily endorsed by National Wind Watch. Nor should it be implied that the sources and writers endorse National Wind Watch. These resource documents are shared here 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. • The copyrights reside with the sources indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations.
Electricity at Any Price? The Real Cost of Wind Power
Author: Fahlén, Per; Henrekson, Magnus; and Nilsson, Mats
This policy brief critically evaluates the current push for extensive wind power expansion in Sweden. This Policy Brief critically examines the economic and technical assumptions behind the rapid expansion of weather-dependent energy sources such as wind and solar, identifying several systemic risks and shortcomings. Key Findings 1. System Stability Risks A high share of intermittent power (currently 25% wind and 2.5% solar) threatens grid reliability. Essential system functions (instantaneous power, frequency control, reactive power, inertia) are inadequately supported by wind . . .
More »Flight height patterns of a critically endangered insectivorous bat, impacted by wind turbine collision
Author: Bush, Amanda; Lumsden, Lindy; and Prowse, Thomas
Background: Harnessing wind energy, using wind turbines, is a prominent form of renewable energy production. There are, however, biodiversity impacts, including collisions by birds and bats with rotating blades. High levels of mortalities can cause localised and species-level population declines, which is especially significant for threatened species. The height at which species fly is a key collision risk factor. In this study we investigated the flight height patterns of a critically endangered bat to inform mitigations to reduce impacts. Methods: . . .
More »Ultrasonic deterrents provide no additional benefit over curtailment in reducing bat fatalities
Author: Clerc, Jeff; et al.
Abstract. Wind energy is important for achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions but also contributes to global bat mortality. Current strategies to minimize bat mortality due to collision with wind-turbine blades fall broadly into two categories: curtailment (limiting turbine operation during high-risk periods) and deterrence (discouraging bat activity near turbines). Recently, there has been interest in combining these strategies to achieve greater reductions in bat fatalities than either strategy might achieve in isolation. To investigate the effectiveness of combining curtailment with . . .
More »Underwater noise of operating wind turbines
Author: Discovery of Sound in the Sea
As a turbine operates, vibrations inside the nacelle (the housing that contains the generator, gearbox, and other parts) are transmitted down the main shaft of the wind turbine and into its foundation. These vibrations then propagate into the water column and seafloor. Mechanical noise generated by offshore turbines is concentrated at low frequencies below 1kHz, generally below 700 Hz. Bockstigen-Valar, Sweden Underwater recording taken less than 50 m from a 500 kW turbine operating at the Bockstigen-Valar offshore wind farm (Baltic Sea, . . .
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