Blog By: Jenny Lohr
The 21st Century is poised to see an incredible increase in the use of alternative energy sources.[i] It is proposed that renewable energy “will generate 60 percent of the world’s electricity” by 2035 alone.[ii] Renewable energy has many sources, and the three most popular are solar, wind, and hydro energy.[iii] Powering society through alternate methods poses extreme benefits for humans and the environment, yet at the same time may threaten the very things it is set out to protect.[iv]
As renewable energy is becoming more popular, so are lawsuits concerning the construction of these alternative sources.[v] Recently, several Massachusetts fishing industry groups initiated litigation against the United States Department of the Interior and Vineyard Wind (an offshore wind farm) arguing, among other things, that the Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management “failed to consider alternative project locations.”[vi] One of the biggest concerns cited was the impact of the new wind farm on the groups’ ability to fish in the region.[vii] Implementing renewable energy sources like wind farms can lead to destructive results on local animal and natural habitats[viii], begging the question of really “how good” renewable energy can be for the environment.
Wind energy is one of the most common and fastest-growing sources of electricity, but a big downside to installing wind farms is the noise pollution.[ix] As a result of the mechanical operation and the wind vortex that occurs when the blades are rotating, the noise levels of wind farms can be unavoidable.[x] Although it is not clear on the health implications of noise pollution, the fact stands that the presence of wind farms may disturb the tranquility of the surrounding areas.[xi]
On I-65, located between Indianapolis and Chicago, there sits a wind farm in rural Indiana.[xii] The land, which is full of open plains, is a suitable area for wind farms, as are coastal areas and tops of hills.[xiii] Because of this desire to install wind farms in more remote locations, new roads must be paved to transport machinery and construction materials to the farm site.[xiv] Transmission lines and new infrastructure must ultimately be built in addition to the wind farms themselves for wind energy to be successful.[xv] The increase in traffic to do this can intensify pollution, adversely impacting the environment and surrounding habitats and natural life.[xvi] Similarly, installing wind farms may cause the reverse effects desired. Studies have supported the notion that wind farms affect local weather.[xvii] Operational wind farms have observed warming and reported consistent temperature increases,[xviii] which are opposite results of the goal.
Wind farms can also be destructive in the way that the fishing industry is arguing – installation of wind farms can destroy coastal landscapes and other animal life.[xix] Birds and bats are at risk of injury from the turbines, and biodiversity is negatively impacted.[xx] When wind farms are built, habitats are destroyed, migratory paths are disrupted, and feeding and breeding grounds for animals can be lost.[xxi] Although there is an overall benefit to using renewable wind energy, the implementation may lead to an array of unintended environmental consequences.[xxii]
Despite the downsides and concerns surrounding wind energy, this type of renewable energy has room for immense growth.[xxiii] Wind is a constant and is almost everywhere, which means that wind energy can be a long-lasting source of renewable energy. Wind energy is one of the cleanest renewable energy sources.[xxiv] Alternate energy sources are needed to cut down on fossil fuels.[xxv] The harms and possible destruction of wind farms does not go unnoticed, and so “advancements in technologies, properly siting wild plants, and ongoing environmental research are working to reduce the impact of wind turbines on wildlife.”[xxvi] Which way will the wind blow? Hopefully towards a cleaner and more resourceful future.
[i] Florian Heineke et al., Renewable-Energy Development in a Net-Zero World, McKinsey & Co. (Oct. 28, 2022),
https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/electric-power-and-natural-gas/our-insights/renewable-energy-development-in-a-net-zero-world [https://perma.cc/TC5S-24N9].
[ii] Id.
[iii] Types of Renewable Energy, EDF Energy, (last visited Feb. 3, 2023) https://www.edfenergy.com/energywise/renewable-energy-sources#:~:text=The%20most%20popular%20renewable%20energy,Hydro%20energy (last visited Feb. 3, 2023) [https://perma.cc/5C45-TVQF].
[iv] Hollie Sowden, 12 Important Pros and Cons of Renewable Energy to Consider, ECOFLOW (Oct. 5, 2022), https://blog.ecoflow.com/us/pros-and-cons-of-renewable-energy/ [https://perma.cc/RW3R-QAWV].
[v] See Robert Bryce, Backlash Against Renewables Surged in 2021, With 31 Big Wind And 13 Big Solar Projects Vetoed Across US, Forbes (Jan. 27, 2022, 10:24 AM), https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertbryce/2022/01/27/backlash-against-renewables-surged-in-2021-with-31-big-wind-and-13-big-solar-projects-vetoed-across-us/?sh=4a8cd4913bb7 [https://perma.cc/VJE6-KQ7U].
[vi] Quinn Wilson, Fisheries Ask Court to Reject Defense of Mass. Wind Project, LAW360 (Jan. 31, 2023, 8:53 PM), https://www.law360.com/energy/articles/1571304/fisheries-ask-court-to-reject-defense-of-mass-wind-project [https://perma.cc/5N5H-KH5T].
[vii] Id.
[viii] Id.
[ix] Wind Energy Pros and Cons, EnergySage (Mar. 9, 2022), https://www.energysage.com/about-clean-energy/wind/pros-cons-wind-energy/ [https://perma.cc/SD29-VG8X].
[x] Id.
[xi] Negative Effects of Wind Turbines on the Environment, 1Energy Sys., https://www.1energysystems.com/negative-effects-of-wind-turbines-on-the-environment/ (last visited Feb. 3, 2023) [https://perma.cc/NF77-VAG4].
[xii] Dan Gearino, Wind Energy Is a Big Business in Indiana, Leading to Awkward Alliances, Inside Climate News (Mar. 30, 2021), https://insideclimatenews.org/news/30032021/indiana-wind-energy/#:~:text=Benton%20and%20White%20counties%20have%20been%20transformed%20by,extending%20to%20the%20horizon%20in%20almost%20all%20directions [https://perma.cc/4ZWN-Y6BP].
[xiii] Catherine Lane, Wind Energy Pros and Cons, SolarReviews (Dec. 6, 2020), https://www.solarreviews.com/blog/wind-energy-pros-and-cons [https://perma.cc/V8W2-35DW].
[xiv] 1Energy Sys., supra note ix.
[xv] EnergySage, supra note vii.
[xvi] 1Energy Sys., supra note ix.
[xvii] Id.
[xviii] Leah Burrows, Wind Farms Cause More Environmental Impact Than Previously Thought, Sci. Tech. Daily (Oct. 17, 2018), https://scitechdaily.com/wind-farms-cause-more-environmental-impact-than-previously-thought/.
[xix] Not Green: Offshore Wind ‘Industry’ Destroying Fishing Grounds, Birds & Marine Life, Stop These Things (Feb. 4, 2022), https://stopthesethings.com/2022/02/04/not-green-offshore-wind-industry-destroying-fishing-grounds-birds-marine-life/ [https://perma.cc/QH6U-ZQEM].
[xx] Brianne Hogan, Is It Possible to Build Wildlife-Friendly Windfarms?, Brit. Broad. Corp. (Mar. 2, 2020), https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200302-how-do-wind-farms-affect-bats-birds-and-other-wildlife#:~:text=From%20direct%20collision%20deaths%20to,and%20bats%20being%20particularly%20affected [https://perma.cc/3Q27-YB9K].
[xxi] 1Energy Sys., supra note ix.
[xxii] Id.
[xxiii] Advantages and Challenges of Wind Energy, Wind Energy Tech. Off., https://www.energy.gov/eere/wind/advantages-and-challenges-wind-energy#:~:text=Wind%20energy%20offers%20many%20advantages,of%20a%20decarbonized%20electricity%20future (last visited Feb. 3, 2023) [https://perma.cc/X8YW-4Z6F].
[xxiv] Wind Energy: Pros and Cons, Just Energy (Last Viewed Feb. 3, 2023), https://justenergy.com/blog/wind-energy-pros-and-cons/ [https://perma.cc/P9LT-FERC].
[xxv] Rachel Ramirez, 5 alternative energy sources to speed our transition away from fossil fuels, CNN (Oct. 7, 2021, 12:28 PM), https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/07/us/renewable-energy-options-climate/index.html [https://perma.cc/Z444-H7LB].
[xxvi] Wind Energy Tech. Off., supra note xx.