A Review on the Environmental Impacts of Wind Energy

Abstract

Human is well aware to have utilized wind energy since thousands of years, both for producing power and sailing boats in water. Out of all renewable resources of energy, wind energy is the best in terms of industrial evolution. Due to its renewability and accessibility, this source of electricity is appealing. Potency for evolution and improvement is significant, and this sector’s capacity is some what bigger than the sector’s overall energy expenditure. With a yearly production of about 100TWh, the total capacity of the world is about 60,000MW. The major challenges against further development are directly related to land usage, economy, net capacity and environment. Wind power plants require less than a year’s time for their installation and construction, as compared to nuclear power plants which require 10 years for their construction and installation. Due to reduced installation costs and no fuel costs, wind power is most economical. The effects of wind power are considered to be positive on the environment due to potential displacement of mining activities, greenhouse effect and air pollution which are related to non-renewable energy sources. The positive and negative impacts of renewable or non-renewable energy sources totally depend on the whole understanding of their environmental and economic effects. Keywords: Accessibility, capacity, economic, environmental effects, Greenhouse effect, renewability. Cite this Article: Tahir Iqbal, Saima Mughal, Aqsa Tehseen, Almas Bashir. A Review on the Environmental Impacts of Wind Energy. International Journal of Industrial Biotechnology and Biomaterials. 2019; 5(1) 1–16p.