Verified Document

Environmental Impact Of Turbines Research Paper

Wind Turbines The foundations of wind turbines have an impact on their local environment. Therefore, foundation selection is a primary consideration for developers and wind farm managers. Foundation selection is especially important for offshore wind turbines. The construction of turbine foundations and the use of scour protection materials have been notable impediments to shorebirds, seabirds, and the integrity of shallow water ecosystems including bedrock (Drewitt & Langston, 2006, p. 32). All wind turbines have an impact on birds, though, and the evidence suggesting that offshore wind turbines have a net worse impact on the avian community has been unsubstantiated (Fox et al., 2006). According to a Danish study, no more than two percent of total wind farm area is lost due to the turbine foundations or antiscour protection (Fox et al., 2006). The seabed habitat loss should, however, be monitored over time to provide more an accurate understanding of how foundation construction can be improved to minimize damage. One of the most notable problems with wind turbine environmental impacts is especially related to the foundation construction in both on shore and off shore settings. Madsen, Wahlberg, Tougaard, Lucke & Tyacke (2006) found that the construction of wind turbines for offshore turbine farms was more damaging to marine mammals than their ongoing operation, rendering the construction phase the most detrimental in terms of overall environmental impact.

One of the environmental concerns related to the foundations of wind turbines is...

This is especially true for marine mammals that rely on sound for their communications, which is why offshore wind turbine foundations have received the bulk of research funding in recent studies. However, land animals are also affected by the noise generated by wind turbines in the construction and operating stages. As the Wind Energy EIS (2014) points out, insulating materials can be installed in the base of the turbine construction to mitigate noise problems.
The foundations of wind turbines, whether shallow or deep, are not linked to significant damages in terms of leaking of toxic materials into surrounding earth. "Relatively small amounts of lubricating oils and hydraulic and insulating fluids" will be emitted, making "contamination of surface or ground water or soils is highly unlikely," (Wind Energy EIS, 2014, p. 1). There are, however, some differences between the concrete and steel foundation types used in the erection of wind turbines. Traditionally, reinforced concrete is used as a foundation for high rise wind turbines and these leave a shallow footprint (Zygomalas & Baniotopoulos, 2014). Concrete foundations are known to be both effective and stable (Zygomalas & Baniotopoulos, 2014). However, the new steel micropile foundations that are driven deeper into the earth have become more common in recent years and these may have more serious and severe environmental impacts than their concrete predecessors (Zygomalas & Baniotopoulos, 2014). Steel foundations have a more…

Sources used in this document:
References

Drewitt, A.L. & Langston, R.H.W. (2006). Assessing the impacts of wind farms on birds. Ibis 48(1): 29-42.

Fox, A.D., et al. (2006). Information needs to support environmental impact assessment of the effects of European marine offshore wind farms on birds. Ibis 148(1): 129-144.

Razizadeh, S.B. (2014). Life cycle analyses of the foundation of onshore wind energy structures.

Wind Energy EIS (2014). Wind energy development environmental concerns. Retrieved online: http://windeis.anl.gov/guide/concern/
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Environmental Issues Faced in 21st Century Aviation
Words: 20526 Length: 62 Document Type: Research Paper

Environmental Issues Faced in 21st Century Aviation Reducing Communication and Coordination Tools and Metrics Technology, Operations and Policy Demand Aviation and the Environment Effects on the health Local Air Quality Climate Change Total Climate impacts from aircraft Interdependencies Mobility, Economy and National Security Interactions between Government, Industry and Groups Aviation Greenhouse Gas Emissions Economic Impact SPCC Regulations Local Airport Issues De-icing Fluids A Framework for National Goals Realities and Myths Metrics Recommended Actions Environmental Issues Faced in 21st Century Aviation Environmental awareness in regards to 21st century aviation among the public and politicians has

Environmental Systems in the Past
Words: 12463 Length: 45 Document Type: Capstone Project

Although the research tools provided by the ISO 14001 framework are both qualitative and quantitative, this approach is consistent with the guidance provided by Neuman (2003) who points out that, "Both qualitative and quantitative research use several specific research techniques (e.g., survey, interview, and historical analysis), yet there is much overlap between the type of data and the style of research. Most qualitative-style researchers examine qualitative data and vice

Environmental Finance
Words: 4106 Length: 10 Document Type: Essay

CEFC and the Future of Environmental Finance The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) represents the most aggressive environmental finance initiative sponsored by the Australian Government to date. The CEFC is an independent entity established as part of the Clean Energy Future Policy by the Australian government. As of March 2012, funding for the program totaled AUS $10 billion in government backed investments for the commercialization and deployment of clean energy technologies.

Environmental Sustainability Has Been Increasingly
Words: 14123 Length: 50 Document Type: Dissertation

Literature Review, Analysis and Discussion 7,500 words This section presents a review of the recent relevant peer-reviewed and scholarly literature concerning environmental sustainability in general and how environmental sustainability initiatives can help multinational corporations of different sizes and types achieve a competitive advantage in particular. Literature Review. According to Michalisin and Stinchfield (2010), "There is widespread consensus that human activity has had a significant impact on global climatic patterns which will have

Environmental Issues and Nuclear Power
Words: 1710 Length: 6 Document Type: Essay

That is precisely what has occurred in Iran to date (Ajami, 2008; Larsen, 2007). However, the danger posed by continued Western reliance on OPEC oil in the form of financing that ultimately funds anti-western terrorism may be even more significant. Conclusion Ultimately, the principal question raised is not whether or not nuclear energy is safe and economical and beneficial to the atmosphere; it is whether nuclear energy is comparable to or

Environmental Science Nuclear Power Technical
Words: 4003 Length: 12 Document Type: Term Paper

By regulation, the design of the nuclear reactor must include stipulations for human operator error and equipment failure. Nuclear Plants in the western world use a Defense in Depth idea which is a system with numerous safety components, each with back-up and design to accommodate human error. The components include: "Control of Radioactivity - This requires being able to control the neutron flux. If the neutron flux is decreased the radioactivity

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now