The issues: dealing with the wrong weather, with birds, with the waste
The promise: of community benefit, of new technologies
.
Wind power is very much hitting the headlines: Wind is main source of UK electricity for first time – BBC News and Wind energy powered the U.K. more than gas this year for the first time ever – CBS News and Wind power dominates UK as top electricity source for first time | Science | News | Express.co.uk
And so there’s even more interest in the issues around this now major source of energy.
WRONG WEATHER: What happens to wind power if the wind drops? | World Economic Forum and What do we do about renewable energy when there is no wind or sun? [Telegraph paywall]
BIRDS: Bird protection has emerged as a key issue in the massive expansion of North Sea wind power, with the Netherlands alone aiming for 70GW in its waters by 2050. Concerns over their effects on seabird habitats and migration has already held up consenting of giant UK North Sea wind projects, and efforts to mitigate adverse consequences range from creation of ‘bird hotels’ to painting blades black to deter impacts. Dutch shut down offshore wind turbines to save birds in ‘international first’ | Recharge
DEALING WITH THE WASTE: Recycling end-of-life solar panel, wind turbine is big waste business and Can wind turbine blades be recycled? | What happens to old wind turbine blades? | National Grid Group and What can you do with retired wind turbine blades to keep them out of dumps? | The Scotsman
COMMUNITY BENEFIT: Improved rewards and benefits to be offered to communities backing onshore wind farms – GOV.UK and Saying yes to wind could cut your energy bills! – Energy Live News and Government considers offering cheaper energy bills to communities that back onshore wind | Planning Resource
NEW TECHNOLOGIES: Offshore wind power redesign could pull down costs • The Register and Latest Developments in Wind Harvesting Technology
…