Wind farms cause a stir
4 November 2004
Whopping wind turbines are likely to stir up local climates according to new computer models. Predictions based on measurements from existing wind farms show that turbulence from turning turbines raises local wind speed and air temperature.
Image: Scottish Power
Scientists put measurements from a small wind farm in California into a climate model of a colossal future wind farm to find out what would happen to the local weather. Future wind farms will need to be many times larger than today's if they're to make a dent in the amount of energy we get from fossil fuels.
What do the new calculations show?
Turbines won't influence the climate in the daytime - the Sun's heat mixes the surface layers of air so they're uniform. But at night the turbulence from the massive fans stirs the air so warmer air with a higher wind speed is brought down to ground level.
Turbines won't influence the climate in the daytime - the Sun's heat mixes the surface layers of air so they're uniform. But at night the turbulence from the massive fans stirs the air so warmer air with a higher wind speed is brought down to ground level.
Image: BWEA
It's not all bad news for wind farms...
'We can use this modelling to spot potential problems and solve them. It provides a practical guide of where to put wind farms. Instead of using fans to protect crops from frost, orange growers in Florida could set up wind farms within their groves.'
Somanth Baiyda Roy, computer modelling expert, Princeton University
Somanth Baiyda Roy, computer modelling expert, Princeton University
Somanth Baiyda Roy, computer modelling expert, Princeton University
'The impact of wind farms is similar in magnitude to that from deforestation or other changes in land use. But it's much smaller than the impact global warming might have, so wind energy is still a good idea.' Somanth Baiyda Roy
'This study modelled wind conditions on the great American plains. Most UK wind farms are coastal or on hills, so it would be interesting to see how results might apply in UK wind conditions.'
Alison Hill, wind energy expert, British Wind Energy Association
Alison Hill, wind energy expert, British Wind Energy Association
Image: Renewable Energy Systems