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New study debunks myths about wind farm land use
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Apr 19, 2024
Wind power, known for its affordability and renewability, has faced hesitancy from policymakers due to assumptions about its extensive land use compared to fossil fuel-driven power plants. However, a comprehensive study led by McGill University, analyzing the land use of approximately 320 wind farms in the U.S., challenges these perceptions.
Research findings published in Environmental Science and Technology indicate that the actual land area actively used by wind power infrastructure, such as turbines and roads, constitutes only about 5% of the total allocated land. The remainder often continues to serve agricultural purposes.
Further insights reveal that wind turbines, when placed on land with pre-existing roads and facilities, like agricultural fields, can yield energy seven times more efficiently per square meter than new projects. This efficiency counters the argument that gas-fired generation has a lesser land footprint when considering associated infrastructure like wells, pipelines, and roads.
Sarah Jordaan, an associate professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at McGill and the lead author of the study, emphasized, “The predominant view of wind farms as major land users has skewed perspectives against their development. Our findings suggest that, in fact, the infrastructure for natural gas doesn’t necessarily use less land.”
The research utilized geographic information systems (GIS) and machine learning to analyze nearly 2000 images of wind farms within the American Western Interconnection. This data helped develop a new methodology for assessing the environmental sustainability of energy technologies, aiding future energy technology evaluations and net zero emissions planning.
“The methodology we’ve developed could revolutionize how we assess the sustainability of energy technologies moving forward,” Jordaan added.
Research Report:Land Resources for Wind Energy Development Requires Regionalized Characterizations
Research Report:The life cycle land use of natural gas-fired electricity in the US Western interconnection
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