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Wind turbines extract some of the energy from the wind to create electricity, but like all our "engines," it is not perfectly efficient. The energy lost in the conversion causes the downstream wind, the wake, to be both jumbled (turbulent), and slightly warmer by about 0.5°C. Warmer air is lighter, providing less force to turn the turbines, and turbulence "reduces the energy output and increases the load on wind farm structures and equipment" – a downside (dare I say downwind twofer?) Other studies have demonstrated that the wake from a wind farm can extend for 30 to 46 miles.
Bottom line – how you cluster your turbines, especially as we seek the efficiencies of wind-farm friendly sites like the North Sea, is one of the unanticipated costs of unbridled wind power.
Bottom line – how you cluster your turbines, especially as we seek the efficiencies of wind-farm friendly sites like the North Sea, is one of the unanticipated costs of unbridled wind power.
Blowin' in the Wind: Wind Energy Comes at a Cost
Deriving electricity from windmills is one way to diversify our energy sources, while reducing the use of fossil fuels and making us more energy resilient. But as the Second Law of Thermodynamics points out, there's no free lunch energetically, and that includes harnessing the power of the wind.
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