Wind Energy: All 6 Pros and 5 Cons Explained
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Wind energy is a fast-growing, low-carbon dioxide (CO2) emitting energy source. It can play an important role in the global energy transformation and help transition away from fossil fuels, but it comes with drawbacks as with any other energy source. So, we had to ask: What are the pros and cons of wind energy?
The main pros of wind energy include sustainability, a low carbon footprint, air quality protection, the generation of few waste products, and energy independence. However, the main cons of wind energy include intermittency, high costs, noise and visual pollution, and impacts on wildlife.
Keep reading to find out all about what the pros and cons of wind energy are, how effective and efficient it is, how it can mitigate climate change, and how safe or dangerous it is.
The Big Picture of Wind Energy
Wind energy is defined as the conversion of moving air into electrical energy through the use of wind turbines.
“Wind: a current of air moving approximately horizontally, especially one strong enough to be felt”
Cambridge Dictionary
Harnessing wind power falls into two main categories:
- Onshore wind energy: Wind turbines are located on land. Construction, transportation, maintenance costs, and infrastructure needed to transmit electricity from onshore turbines to consumers are low.
- Offshore wind energy: Wind turbines are located in the ocean or freshwater. Construction, transportation, maintenance costs, and infrastructure needed to transmit electricity from offshore turbines to consumers are high.
Both types take the energy from wind and convert it to electricity, just in a different environment. Onshore wind is the main mechanism used today to harness wind energy.
6 Pros of Wind Energy | 5 Cons of Wind Energy |
Wind energy is a renewable and sustainable energy source | Wind energy is an intermittent energy source |
Wind energy has a low carbon footprint | Wind energy has high upfront costs |
Wind energy protects air quality | Wind energy can be expensive to maintain |
Wind turbines efficiently convert wind into electricity | Wind energy can cause noise and visual pollution |
Wind energy generates few waste products | Wind energy can negatively impact wildlife |
Wind energy promotes energy independence and energy security |
What Are 6 Pros of Wind Energy
Wind energy is a renewable and sustainable energy source, has a low carbon footprint, protects air quality, is efficient, generates few waste products, and promotes energy independence and security.
Pro #1: Wind Energy Is a Renewable and Sustainable Energy Source
Wind energy is a renewable and sustainable resource that can reduce emissions for generations to come.
Wind Energy Pro #1
Renewable energy sources are resources that naturally replace themselves over time.
“Renewable Energy: energy that is produced using the sun, wind, etc., or from crops, rather than using fuels such as oil or coal | types of energy that can be replaced naturally such as energy produced from wind or water”
Cambridge Dictionary
Wind energy is classified as a renewable energy source because it is a form of solar energy, which itself is renewable. Wind results from the uneven heating of the earth’s surface, irregularities of the earth’s surface, and the earth’s rotation. The sun will continue to produce energy until the sun goes supernova (which won’t be for another 5 billion years); therefore, wind energy is a virtually inexhaustible energy source.
Wind energy is also classified as a sustainable energy source. Sustainable energy sources meet the needs of our current generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
“Sustainable: The ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level | Avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance”
Oxford Dictionary
Wind energy emits minimal greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) and has a minimal effect on the environment, provided that proper siting and disposal methods are followed. This means future generations can continue to harness wind energy for many years.
Pro #2: Wind Energy Has a Low Carbon Footprint
Wind energy has one of the lowest carbon footprints out of all energy types.
Wind Energy Pro #2
The carbon footprint is one of the ways we measure the effects of human-induced global climate change. It primarily focuses on the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with consumption and includes other emissions such as methane (CH4), nitrous oxide, and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).
“Carbon footprint: the amount of greenhouse gasses and specifically carbon dioxide emitted by something (such as a person’s activities or a product’s manufacture and transport) during a given period”
Merriam Webster
On a life-cycle basis, onshore wind energy emits 11 and offshore wind energy emits 12 grams of CO2 equivalent per kWh of electricity produced, the joint-lowest out of all fuel types.
Have a look at the illustration below to see the average life-cycle CO2 equivalent emissions of different energy sources and how they compare to wind energy.
Overall, onshore and offshore wind energy have the joint-lowest carbon footprints out of all energy types, making wind one of our cleanest sources of energy.
Pro #3: Wind Energy Protects Air Quality
Wind energy produces a fraction of the pollution and toxic chemicals that fossil fuels produce, helping to protect air quality.
Wind Energy Pro #3
Air pollution can cause numerous health problems including asthma, breathing difficulties, brain damage, heart problems, and cancer. Fossil fuel (coal and natural gas) combustion emits coal ash residue, toxic heavy metals, CO2, carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen oxides (NOx) into the atmosphere, impairing public health.
Rather than combusting toxic materials like coal does, wind turbines use aerodynamic force from rotor blades to turn kinetic energy into electricity. Wind turbines produce minimal greenhouse gasses and emit no CO, SO2, or NOx, thereby helping to protect air quality.
Pro #4: Wind Turbines Efficiently Convert Sunlight Into Energy
Wind energy boasts a high-efficiency rate per wind turbine and is an efficient use of land.
Wind Energy Pro #4
Efficiency involves performing a task while using the least amount of resources and producing the least amount of waste possible.
“Efficient: working in a way that does not waste a resource (= something valuable such as fuel, water, or money)”
Cambridge Dictionary
Today’s wind turbines have an average commercial energy conversion rate of 25-45%, depending on a variety of environmental factors. To increase the efficiency of wind energy we would have to increase the energy conversion rate. Experts have calculated the ceiling of wind energy efficiency, known as the Betz Limit, to be approximately 60%. So we are already approaching the limits of what is theoretically possible.
In addition, wind energy is an efficient use of space. Although wind farms require large amounts of land, the turbines themselves do not take up large amounts of land. Because turbines must be spaced far apart from each other, the land in between them can be used for other purposes, including agriculture.
Pro #5: Wind Energy Generates Few Waste Products
Wind energy generates minimal waste products upon operation, and some components of wind turbines can be recycled.
Wind Energy Pro #5
In terms of emissions, wind energy produces few waste products, generating approximately 12 grams of CO2 equivalent per kWh of electricity produced and zero CO, SO2, or NOx emissions. They also do not require water for cooling and, unlike solar panels which can be classified as hazardous waste depending on the type of metals present, wind turbines are not classified as hazardous waste.
Recycling end-of-life wind turbines can reduce their impact on the environment. The technology to recycle wind turbines does exist, but the practice is not currently in widespread use. Most turbines consist of 8,000+ parts and were constructed 20-25 years ago with materials that cannot be easily separated into their constituent components. Even though 96% of a turbine is made from recyclable materials, old turbines are most often dumped in landfills because recycling is such a difficult process.
However, the wind industry has seen recent advances in recycling technology, as companies are starting to design future wind turbines with recycling in mind. Just in 2022, Carbon Rivers, a US-based company, commercialized a process to reclaim glass fibers from decommissioned wind turbine blades. Because turbine blades are typically 50% glass or carbon fiber composite by weight, recycling them can significantly reduce their environmental impact.
Pro #6: Wind Energy Promotes Energy Independence and Energy Security
Wind energy can help us transition away from fossil fuels and toward an energy-independent future.
Wind Energy Pro #6
Being able to produce your own electricity without the aid of foreign countries is an important step in becoming more self-sufficient. For example, in the US, Former President George W. Bush signed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to reduce US dependence on oil, expand the production of renewable energy, and confront global climate change.
Although wind energy alone cannot shoulder the burden of the world’s electricity needs, it can shoulder some. Wind energy is currently the second-largest renewable electricity technology behind hydropower. Wind electricity generation increased by 265 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2022 to reach a record 2,713 TWh.
What Are 5 Cons of Wind Energy
Wind energy is an intermittent energy source, faces high upfront and maintenance costs, can cause noise and visual pollution, and can negatively impact wildlife.
Con #1: Wind Energy Is an Intermittent Energy Source
Wind energy production is heavily influenced by location, time of year, and weather patterns, making it unpredictable at times.
Wind Energy Con #1
Two of the main drawbacks associated with renewable energy are intermittency and lower levels of energy output, with wind energy being no exception.
Wind patterns and speeds vary greatly across the world and can be modified by bodies of water, vegetation, and differences in terrain. An average annual wind speed of 9 miles per hour (mph) or 4 meters per second (m/s) for small turbines and 13mph (5.8m/s) for utility-scale turbines is necessary to economically harness wind energy.
But wind does not always blow at a constant speed, and sometimes it doesn’t at all. The unpredictable nature of wind means we cannot rely on it fully to produce all of our energy, but it can shoulder some of the burden of our energy demands.
Con #2: Wind Energy Has High Upfront Costs
Wind energy has a high upfront cost associated with wind turbine installation.
Wind Energy Con #2
The cost of installing wind turbines varies greatly depending on how many turbines are installed, location, and other factors. Although there are tax and other incentives that can help reduce the cost of a wind project, installation typically costs thousands of dollars upfront.
Smaller-scale wind turbines under 100 kilowatts can cost $3,000-$8,000 per kilowatt hour of installed capacity. It takes roughly 10 kilowatts to power a large house, which can end up costing between $50,000 and $80,000.
Commercial, utility-scale wind turbines cost between $1.3 million to $2.2 million per megawatt (MW) of installed capacity. A typical onshore commercial turbine today is roughly 2 MW, which ends up costing $3-$4 million to install. Offshore wind turbines can be as large as 16-18 MW and cost upwards of $20 million.
Offshore wind turbines can cost up to 20% more than onshore turbines because they are considerably larger, and the construction, transportation, maintenance costs, and infrastructure needed to transmit electricity from offshore turbines to consumers are higher.
Con #3: Wind Energy Can Be Expensive to Maintain
In addition to high upfront costs, wind energy can be expensive to maintain.
Wind Energy Con #3
Wind turbines themselves have an average life expectancy of 30 years. The foundation and towers typically follow this timeline, but smaller parts such as gearboxes, blades, and generators are usually replaced sooner.
Routine maintenance costs roughly 1-2 cents per kilowatt-hour of electricity produced and includes insurance, land rent, and repair/replacement of spare parts. This works out to $42,000 – $48,000 per year for an average US utility-scale wind farm.
Con #4: Wind Energy Can Cause Noise and Visual Pollution
The mechanical operation and large nature of wind turbines can generate noise and visual pollution.
Wind Energy Con #4
- Modern, small to medium turbines generate roughly 6 decibels (dB) of sound, slightly above ambient wind noise.
- Utility-scale, onshore turbines generate roughly 35-45 dB of sound, less than a refrigerator (50 dB) and city car traffic (70 dB).
- Utility-scale, offshore turbines generate roughly 10-20 fewer dB of underwater noise than ships in the same frequency range.
Overall, wind turbine noise pollution is minimal and can be made even less with proper siting. Utility-scale turbines are typically constructed no less than 984 feet (300 meters) from homes or buildings, and offshore turbines are usually constructed far enough away from land so that people onshore cannot hear them.
In addition, wind turbines typically must be constructed high up to capture enough wind, which can obstruct scenic views including mountain ranges, oceans, and lakes. The larger a turbine is, the more energy it can generate, and both turbine heights and blade lengths have increased over the years.
- Utility-scale, onshore wind turbines today have an average hub height of 322 feet.
- Offshore wind hub height is predicted to increase from 330 feet today to over 500 feet by 2035.
- The blade diameter has increased from 380 feet to 430 feet so they can capture more wind.
All of this leads to turbines taking up more space, resulting in greater chances for obscured views.
Con #5: Wind Energy Can Negatively Impact Wildlife
The construction and operation of wind farms can negatively impact wildlife.
Wind Energy Con #5
During wind energy site construction, the increased presence of people, traffic, and noises can disrupt grouse and other ground-nesting birds. In addition, spinning turbine blades can prove to be a hazard for birds and bats.
Negative wildlife interactions can be mitigated by:
- Monitoring the site for animal presence
- Stopping or slowing turbine blades when animals are present or expected to be present
- Deploying deterrent technologies to discourage wildlife from approaching spinning turbine blades
In some cases, construction can be halted altogether if wildlife is present. For example, if an offshore site is being constructed in a whale migration corridor, work can be postponed during migration season so as not to disrupt the whales.
Overall, proper siting and careful construction of wind farms can mitigate negative interactions with wildlife.
How Can Wind Energy Help Mitigate Climate Change
Climate change is a severe, long-term consequence of fossil fuel combustion. If left untreated, atmospheric CO2 can remain there for tens of thousands of years and exacerbate the negative effects of climate change. Wind energy emits less CO2 upon operation than fossil fuels and can therefore reduce our total emissions.
How is Climate Change Defined
Climate change is arguably the most severe, long-term global impact of CO2. Every year, we emit approximately 37 billion tons of CO2. The carbon found in fossil fuels reacts with oxygen in the air to produce CO2.
“Climate change: changes in the earth’s weather, including changes in temperature, wind patterns, and rainfall, especially the increase in the temperature of the earth’s atmosphere that is caused by the increase of particular gasses, especially carbon dioxide.”
Oxford Dictionary
When carbon enters the atmosphere, it absorbs sunlight and wind radiation, trapping the heat and acting as an insulator for the planet.
Since the Industrial Revolution, Earth’s temperature has risen a little more than 1 degree Celsius (°C), or 2 degrees Fahrenheit (°F). Between 1880-1980 the global temperature rose by 0.07°C every 10 years. This rate has more than doubled since 1981, with a current global annual temperature rise of 0.18°C, or 0.32°F, for every 10 years.
How Does Wind Energy Specifically Help Mitigate Climate Change
The global average concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere today registers at over 400 parts per million, the highest ever recorded. Wind energy can help lower this concentration because it can replace some of the burning of fossil fuels (e.g., coal, oil, natural gas) with a cleaner form of renewable energy.
Throughout its life cycle, wind energy produces 0.02% of the CO2 emissions per unit of electricity than coal produces. And after 3 to 6 months of operation, a wind turbine has effectively offset all emissions from its construction, which means it can operate virtually carbon-free for the rest of its lifetime.
Increasing wind energy usage can reduce CO2 emissions, and the more we reduce CO2 emissions, the more we combat the negative effects associated with climate change including temperature rise, sea-level rise, ice melting, and ocean acidification. When these rates are slowed, the earth’s biodiversity does not have to struggle to adapt to temperature and pH changes. People will not be displaced due to the flooding of coastal areas. And icebergs will continue to provide climate regulation.
How Effective and Efficient Is Wind Energy
In terms of effectiveness, wind turbines are effective at converting wind into electricity. In addition, wind energy has a low carbon footprint, protects air quality, and promotes energy security and independence. However, it can also be intermittent and come with high upfront costs.
In terms of efficiency, wind turbines are efficient at converting wind into electricity. In addition, wind energy is a renewable and sustainable energy source, increases the efficiency of the power grid, and generates few waste products.
Wind energy is effective because:
- Wind energy has become the cheapest, fastest-growing, and leading non-hydro renewable energy technology
- Wind energy has the joint-lowest carbon footprint out of all energy types. Onshore wind emits 11 and offshore wind 12 grams of CO2 equivalent per kWh of electricity produced, on a life-cycle basis.
- Wind energy produces a fraction of the pollution and toxic chemicals that fossil fuels produce, helping to protect air quality.
- Wind can help us transition away from fossil fuels and towards an energy-independent future.
However, two of the main drawbacks associated with wind energy are intermittency and high upfront costs.
Wind energy is efficient because:
- Wind energy boasts a high-efficiency rate per wind turbine and is an efficient use of land.
- Wind energy is a renewable and sustainable resource that can reduce emissions for generations to come.
- Wind energy promotes the decentralization of our energy supply which increases power grid efficiency by reducing peak time usage and decreasing the likelihood of power outages.
- Wind energy generates few waste products upon operation, and some components of wind turbines can be recycled.
How Safe or Dangerous Is Wind Energy
Overall, wind energy is not considered to be dangerous. Holistically and throughout its life cycle, wind is safe and beneficial for human and animal health, the environment, and the energy grid. It is also significantly safer than fossil fuels and other types of renewable energy.
Are you interested in learning more about how safe or dangerous wind energy is? Check it out in these articles here:
Here’s How Safe Wind Energy Is
Overall, wind energy is a safe form of energy regarding human and animal health, the environment, the energy grid, and throughout all stages of its life cycle.
How Safe Is Wind Energy at a Holistic Level | Human and Animal Health: Wind energy is safe for human and animal health and can be made safer with proper siting, monitoring, and maintenance of wind farms. Environment: Wind energy emits minimal greenhouse gas emissions and has a minimal effect on the environment. Energy Grid and Infrastructure: Wind energy is a safe and beneficial addition to our power grid. It promotes the decentralization of our energy supply, which increases power grid efficiency by reducing peak time usage and decreasing the likelihood of power outages. |
How Safe Is Wind Energy Across Its Life-Cycle | Building: Safe work practices and proper training of wind professionals can mitigate any risks associated with constructing wind farms. Operating and Maintaining: Wind energy is considered safe to operate and maintain because it does not harm human health or the environment when producing energy. Building Back: This final stage is considered to be safe overall, with the most common workplace hazards (lifting, trips and falls, electricity, and ladders) able to be mitigated by safe work practices. |
How Safe Is Wind Energy In Comparison to Other Types of Energy | Wind energy is one of our safest forms of energy and has one of the lowest death rates from accidents and air pollution per unit of electricity generation. |
Here’s How Dangerous Wind Energy Is
Overall, wind energy is considered minimally dangerous in terms of human and animal health, the environment, the energy grid, and through all stages of its life cycle.
How Dangerous Is Wind Energy at a Holistic Level | Human and Animal Health: Wind energy is not dangerous to humans and is minimally dangerous to animals, with the main concerns being habitat loss and fragmentation of natural habitats. Environment: Wind energy is minimally dangerous to the environment, with land degradation being the main concern. Energy Grid and Infrastructure: Wind energy is not considered to be dangerous to our energy grid or supporting infrastructure. |
How Dangerous Is Wind Energy Across Its Life-Cycle | Building: Building wind farms can expose workers to arc flashes (arc flash burn and blast hazards), electric shock, falls, and thermal burns. Operating and Maintaining: Wind energy has minimal dangers associated with this stage, with burns and electric shock being the most common. Building Back: The most common workplace hazards of this stage include those resulting from lifting, trips and falls, electricity, and ladders. |
How Dangerous Is Wind Energy In Comparison to Other Types of Energy | Wind energy is significantly less dangerous than fossil fuels and other types of renewable energy. In fact, wind is one of the, if not the, safest forms of energy with a death rate of only 0.04 deaths per terawatt-hour of electricity produced. |
Final Thoughts
Wind energy is a renewable and sustainable energy source, has a low carbon footprint, protects air quality, efficiently converts wind into energy, generates few waste products, and promotes energy independence and security. However, wind energy is also an intermittent energy source, faces high upfront and maintenance costs, can cause noise and visual pollution, and can negatively impact wildlife.
Despite this, the pros of wind energy outweigh the cons. Beginning to reverse the climate crisis means we have to cut CO2 emissions now, and wind energy can help us do that. Onshore and offshore wind have the joint-lowest carbon footprint out of all energy types, and they emit a fraction of the CO2 and air toxics that fossil fuels emit. Although its unpredictable nature means we cannot rely on it solely for energy generation, incorporating more wind energy into our power grid has many environmental benefits.
Stay impactful,
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