Environmental Effects of Wind Farms

A wind farm refers to a large distribution of wind turbines in one location for the sole purpose of the production of alternative power, usually electrical power. A wind farm may have anywhere from several dozen to several hundred wind turbines, which will cover an extensive area. The location of a wind farm is critical to its effectiveness because it has to be placed in an area where it will get the most out of strong wind currents. The largest wind farm in the world is the Roscoe Wind farm in the state of Texas. Wind farms have advantages when it comes to the reduction of pollution and less dependence on fossil fuel; however, there are several environmental disadvantages.

Aesthetics

• Wind turbines are very prominent.

  Wind farms must be placed in exposed places where they can get the most wind, and this placement makes them very visible and intrusive in the opinion of some. In order to avoid conflict with the residents living near where a proposed wind farm is to be sited, designs for better integration of the wind turbines with the landscape are needed. This problem can be alleviated by putting fewer wind turbines in any one location and making the wind turbines bigger and more efficient.

Bird Mortalities

• Birds collide with wind turbines.

  Every once in a while, birds collide with wind turbines, killing the animals. This biological hazard is highlighted by opponents of wind turbines, such as conservation groups and fish and wildlife agencies. However, the risk of birds colliding with wind turbines is very low indeed when compared to other more prominent and abundant structures like tall buildings, television towers and lighthouses. This problem can be reduced by the careful selection of sites.

Noise

• Modern design reduces the noise from wind turbines.

  The wind turbines are mechanical systems and the concern of some is that it produces noise. While this is true, the noise produced by wind turbines have been reduced in modern times due to more efficient design and the use of insulating materials to dampen the noise. Siting is also important because the farther away the wind farm is from residential areas, the less likely residents are to be offended by any noise from wind turbines.