Does wind power help in the fight against climate change?

Yes. Unlike gas or coal-fired power stations, wind farms don't emit greenhouse gases: in 2019 alone, wind energy production prevented 198 million tons of CO₂ from entering the atmosphere; it also reduced the consumption of water that's often necessary to enable fossil-fuel power stations to operate. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the development of wind power, together with an increase in electrification, could contribute up to a quarter of the reduction in CO₂ emissions necessary to achieve the Paris Agreement objective by 2050.

Are investments in wind power technology on the rise?

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), wind power capacity reached 65 GW in 2020, an increase of 8% with respect to 2019, despite the problems caused by Covid-19. Further growth is expected for 2021, with capacity due to reach 68 GW, while total capacity might be as high as 100 GW by 2025. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), by 2050 more than a third of the world's energy (35%) could be generated by wind, thanks to improvements in turbine technology which will make the cost of wind power increasingly more competitive.

Does wind power help rural economies?

Most wind farms are located in rural areas where the local land owners can generate additional income while continuing to utilize their land for farming purposes. By receiving rent for the use of their land, land owners can benefit from a regular additional income, thus enabling them to hand their businesses on to successive generations even if prices for raw materials become unstable. In this way, wind power becomes a source of income in addition to that generated from farming or other activities.

Does wind power create jobs?

According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the wind power sector could employ in excess of six million people around the world by 2050, six times the number working in the sector today. In the United States alone, the wind energy sector employs over 100,000 people and the role of “wind turbine technician” is fast becoming one of the fastest-growing jobs in the country.

What benefits do wind farms bring to the local area?

Wind farms bring immediate benefits to the local area and its economy. A good example is employment: jobs are created through spin-off activities that are generated and guaranteed by each of the project phases, from the initial development, to construction, right through to the maintenance of the facilities.

Is wind energy good value for money?

Wind can be found practically everywhere on Earth, but we know where it blows most strongly and most regularly, and we can use this information to install turbines in the best locations. Transforming wind energy into electricity has already reached acceptable performance levels, with efficiency levels of between 40% and 50%: very close to the theoretical maximum possible. Thanks to technological innovations, wind is now one of the cheapest energy sources available, with a cost in some markets of as low as less than 2 cents per kWh.

Does the variability of wind render it relatively inefficient as an energy source?

The electricity grid already manages the variability resulting from variations in customer demand, which changes throughout the course of the day. Considering the electricity system from a production standpoint, wind power only marginally increases variability. In many regions, the majority of the variations in wind energy production are cancelled out by opposing variations in the demand for electricity or in other supply sources, thanks to demand response programs. Using sophisticated electronic monitoring technology, modern wind farms are able to supply network services that are similar in reliability to those offered by conventional fossil-fuel power stations. Furthermore, progress in energy storage technology is improving the capability of operators to mitigate fluctuations in renewable energy supplies without the need to burn fossil fuels.

Is wind power eligible to receive energy incentives?

All forms of energy – including oil, gas, coal, nuclear and renewable – receive or are eligible to receive public incentives. On average, fossil fuels have received significantly more incentives than renewable energy sources. Between 1950 and 2010, according to the Nuclear Energy Institute, 70% of all energy subsidies went to fossil fuels in the form of tax credits or as a part of other programs, while just less than 3% went to wind power.

How long does it take for a wind turbine to balance out the carbon emissions caused by its production?

Compared to other energy sources, the installation and running costs of wind power facilities are very low. However, building a wind farm does produce a certain amount of carbon emissions as well as other greenhouse gases. Research has shown that an average wind turbine balances out its carbon footprint within the first 5-7 months and generates zero-emission electricity for the rest of its 30 year lifespan. With technological improvements and the electrification of transport, CO2 emissions are expected to be reduced even further.

Are wind turbines recycled?

Currently, 90% of the majority of wind turbine components are recyclable. However, at Enel Green Power, we are actively working with industrial groups, universities, manufacturers and suppliers to develop commercial-scale solutions to sustainably manage turbine blades when they come to the end of their useful life, such as recycling the blade materials to make glass fiber pellets or for other industrial applications or reusing the blades to create new ones. The company is also among those playing a leading role in driving these efforts forward, in search of further solutions for the reuse and recycling of turbine blades at the end of their useful life.

How long does a wind farm last on average? What happens when a turbine comes to the end of its useful life?

Our wind farms have an average useful life of 30 years or more, which can be further extended through repowering projects. A wind energy producer can repower a facility by upgrading a turbine's components or decommission a facility by dissembling all the components and returning the land back to its original state. To protect land owners, Enel Green Power rental agreements include deactivation clauses which oblige us to bear the costs of any necessary restoration of the project area.

Do wind turbines ruin the landscape?

Before approval, a wind power facility must pass the various environmental impact studies carried out by the local authorities to assess the effects and impacts – including visual – on the landscape, and must implement any necessary actions to remedy or, where possible, avoid them.

Do wind turbines cause noise pollution?

All wind turbines comply with IEC 61400/1 standards, which include acceptable noise level ranges. The mechanical noise emanating from wind power facilities has been minimized and improved wherever possible through a series of solutions implemented to reduce acoustic impact, including the installation of purpose-built devices on the blades such as Serrations or DinoTails. Moreover, wind turbines are installed at least 300 meters from any housing, meaning that any “swishing” noise produced by the rotation of the blades is around 43 decibels, which reduces even further to 38 decibels at a distance of 500 meters: less than the noise of a refrigerator.

Do wind power facilities pose a risk to human health?

No peer-reviewed medical or scientific studies have ever established a link between wind turbines and negative impacts on health. In fact, the transition towards renewable energy will prevent further emissions of carbon and other air pollutants which are known to cause public health problems; it will also reduce the consumption of water that's often necessary to enable fossil-fuel power stations to operate.

Do wind turbine blades create problems for migrating birds?

Birds and bats can collide with the turbines, but all companies in the sector work closely with environmental groups and groups dedicated to the conservation of these species in order to remedy this potential problem. Through increased knowledge of these species' behaviors, this joint effort reduces the impact these collisions have on the bird and bat populations and also helps to conserve them. Sound, radar and thermal image devices are used to protect the fauna. Furthermore, in compliance with the environmental regulations regarding wind power operators, all facilities must monitor the impact on birds and other animals, as well as for vegetation, with a commitment to measure such impacts and report them on an annual basis. In so doing, the presence of wind power facilities makes it possible to improve wildlife monitoring in the area concerned.

Do wind power facilities have any impact on wildlife?

Wind power helps to conserve the living environment for all animals. By preventing toxic fossil-fuel emissions, wind power helps to improve air and water quality for all wildlife. Wind power has been approved by the main environmental and wildlife groups and we carefully study wildlife behaviors and patterns so as to design facilities which minimize the potential impacts.

Frequent questions on wind energy

Frequently asked questions on wind energy

By 2050 more than a third of the world’s energy will come from wind. Wind technology doesn’t only make a vital contribution to the fight against climate change, but it also supports local economies by creating jobs and helping the communities that host wind farms. Here are the answers to any questions you might have about this renewable source of energy.

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Frequently asked questions on wind energy

Frequently asked questions on wind energy

Does wind power help in the fight against climate change?

Are investments in wind power technology on the rise?

Does wind power help rural economies?

Does wind power create jobs?

What benefits do wind farms bring to the local area?

Is wind energy good value for money?

Does the variability of wind render it relatively inefficient as an energy source?

Is wind power eligible to receive energy incentives?

How long does it take for a wind turbine to balance out the carbon emissions caused by its production?

Are wind turbines recycled?

How long does a wind farm last on average? What happens when a turbine comes to the end of its useful life?

Do wind turbines ruin the landscape?

Do wind turbines cause noise pollution?

Do wind power facilities pose a risk to human health?

Do wind turbine blades create problems for migrating birds?

Do wind power facilities have any impact on wildlife?