012January 2009
Dear Mr Morris
Thank you for your e-mail of 31 December regarding your concerns about wind farms. I have been asked to respond.
You have raised a number of specific issues about wind power including whether wind farms can be regarded as renewable or green technology; whether wind farms are carbon neutral; their ability to generate electricity on demand; the possible effects of wind farms on the environment; and their effects on wildlife and tourism. I will address each of these in turn.
The term “renewable energy” generally refers to electricity generated from naturally occurring sources that are continuously replenished such as wind and solar power, wave and tidal power, geothermal, hydropower, and some forms of biomass. Some renewable energy resources, such as nuclear power, have environmental impacts that preclude their acceptance among customers in the voluntary green power market. (Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, )
The UK has one of the best wind profiles in Europe, and given this resource, we expect that offshore wind will make a major contribution in progressing towards our share of the target to provide 20% of the EU’s energy consumption from renewable sources by 2020. The UK is leading the world in operational offshore wind farms, and we currently have seven large-scale operational offshore wind farms and two demonstration sites in the UK, amounting to 598 megawatts. Another five offshore wind farms are under construction, which over the next 12 months will double the UK’s offshore wind generation capacity to just over 1,000MW.
Electricity generated from wind power has one of the lowest carbon footprints, compared with other forms of electricity generation. As with other low carbon technologies, nearly all the emissions occur during the manufacturing and construction phases, arising from the production of steel for the tower, concrete for the foundations and epoxy/fibreglass for the rotor blades. These account for 98% of the total life cycle CO2 emissions. Emissions generated during the operation of wind turbines arise from routine maintenance inspection trips. This includes the use of lubricants and transport to and from the site.[source: Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology Note (postnote) 268 which is available for downloading at:
You are concerned about the ability of wind power to produce electricity on demand. While generation is a variable energy source, the effects of intermittency will increasingly be mitigated through a range of options. These include:
- The geographical dispersion of wind farms across the country;
- The increasing deployment of non-variable forms of renewable energy – such as biomass;
- Increasing use of energy storage and
- Greater demand side management.
Balancing supply and demand is part of the challenge of running an electricity network. Accommodating variable output generation on a large scale would clearly require the provision of additional back-up generating capacity, although maintaining a good geographic spread of renewable generation will reduce this need. National Grid has indicated that there is unlikely to be any "technical" ceiling on the amount of variable output generation that can be accommodated in the UK and this is backed up by experience in Europe, where countries such as Denmark and Germany have already installed large amounts of wind generation without any untoward consequences.
Turning to your concerns about possible effects on the environment, the Government’s Planning Policy Statement (PPS) 22 on renewable energy highlights the need to take account of environmental impacts in terms of landscape and visual effects, which will vary on a case by case basis according to the type of development, its location and landscape setting. Similar guidelines are in place for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Details are available on our website at:
The Government expects wind farm developers to carry out a rigorous analysis of the impacts that their projects are likely to have on the local environment through an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). An EIA is required for all projects applying for consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 (over 50 megawatts) and the Local Planning Authority can request that one is completed for applications under the Town and Country Planning Act (50MW and under). It must cover a very wide range of issues including whether there would be any consequences for flora and fauna, as well as the visual impact. Problems of drainage, sewage disposal and pollutant dispersal are other issues addressed.
Applications for consent for wind farms submitted to DECC under section 36 must be accompanied by an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) that includes details of the likely impact of the project in question on the environment and wildlife, amongst other things. In considering an application, the Department will consult with a range of stakeholders, including the statutory advisers on nature conservation (English Nature and the Countryside Council for Wales as appropriate) as well as others with an interest in the project. This ensures that decisions on whether to grant consent for a wind farm are considered in the light of the best available information about its likely impacts.
The Government has made it clear that wind farms should be located in appropriate places and that local concerns should be listened to. We recognise the need to ensure that all renewable energy developments take place within the formal planning procedure, which allows all relevant stakeholders, including members of the public, to put forward their views on the likely impact of any proposal on the environment and the local community. Any development of renewable energy must also be seen within the wider context of reducing carbon emissions and improving security of our energy supply.
The Department has also established a Research Advisory Group to fund research into the impact of wind farms on the environment. This has included a joint study with wind farm developers and DEFRA to collect data on the distribution of sea birds in the three strategic offshore wind farm areas, the results of which will inform decisions on the granting of consent for wind farm projects in those areas.
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) makes clear that the available evidence suggests that appropriately positioned wind farms do not pose a significant hazard for birds. Projects like the Black Law wind farm demonstrate that, if properly sited, such developments not only produce zero emissions during their operation, but can also have a positive impact on the environment. The RSPB makes clear that the Black Law wind farm, on the site of an abandoned opencast coalmine, represents an exciting opportunity to deliver real biodiversity benefits through habitat management.
The RSPB’s conclusion is supported by a report in 2005 for the Swedish State Energy Authority, which found that only 14 of the total 1.5 million migrating seabirds that passes two wind farms at Kalmarsund in south east Sweden each year are at risk of being killed.
The likely impact of wind farms and other renewable developments on wildlife must be kept in context. A paper in Nature, by a large group of scientists, including one from the RSPB, indicated that in sample regions covering about 20% of the Earth's land surface, 15% to 37% of species (not just birds) would become extinct as a result of mid-range climate warming scenarios by 2050.
I note your concerns regarding the effects of wind farms on tourism. There is no evidence to suggest this. The UK's first commercial wind farm at Delabole in Cornwall which has a visitor centre and a viewing platform received 350,000 visitors in its first ten years of operation.
A study into the Economic Impacts of Wind Farms on Scottish Tourism commissioned by the Scottish Executive was published on 12 March 2008. According to the research, three quarters of tourists surveyed for the study felt wind farms had a positive or neutral effect on the landscape and 97% of tourists in the sample said wind farms would have no impact on their decision to visit Scotland again.
On tourists’ spending, the researchers’ modelling indicated that extensive wind farm developments would cause an estimated reduction in revenue growth of only 0.18 per cent of tourist spending by 2015. This effect equates to £7.6 million of expenditure against current tourism revenues of £4.2 billion.
The University of St Andrews carried out research in 2005 at several wind farms in the Scottish Borders and in South West Ireland. Tourism is economically important in both regions and they are renowned for their scenic beauty, so the prospect of an upsurge of wind farms was a cause for concern. However, Dr Charles Warren of the School of Geography and Geosciences established that, although people expected a range of negative impacts, these fears were not realised. In most cases, people found that their worries about landscape impacts and noise were unfounded, with surprising numbers even finding the wind farms a positive addition.
I hope this is helpful
Yours sincerely
Francis Lajumoke
Renewable Deployment Team