Wind farms in Ireland
- Where does Ireland currently get its fuel supply for electricity generation?
- What is the current status of wind power in Ireland?
- Does the government support wind energy in Ireland?
- What is the current status of wind energy worldwide?
- What is European policy on Wind Energy?
- What is the Kyoto protocol?
Wind energy and environmental impact
- Are the wind turbines going to be noisy?
- Will the wind farm effect fishing?
- Will the turbines effect marine life?
- Will the turbines effect sea birds?
- What if there is a storm at sea?
- Are there any environmental benefits of offshore turbines?
- What other countries have wind farms at sea?
Wind farms in Ireland
Where does Ireland currently get its fuel for electricity production?
At present, most of Ireland’s energy is derived from burning fossil fuels, either directly in the home or indirectly in power stations. About 98% of Ireland’s final energy demand is produced by burning coal, oil, peat and natural gas. There is a limited resource of these fossil fuels, and they cannot be replenished once their supplies have been exhausted. They are also subject to price fluctuations. It is the consumption of these non-renewable fuels that leads to the emission of greenhouse gases and pollutants into the atmosphere. The emission of these gases and pollutants is increasing global warming and ultimately causing climate change.
Ireland is a signatory to the Kyoto Protocol, which requires reductions in emissions of greenhouse gases by specific amounts over a period from 2008 to 2012 and beyond. The EU Emissions Trading Directive (Directive 2003/87/EC) is being implemented as a pilot project, to help to achieve this target. The National Climate Change Strategy outlines Ireland’s commitment to limit greenhouse gas emissions to 13% above 1990 levels by 2008-2012. A failure to meet this target will result in stiff fines from the EU for a breach of targets.
What is the current status of wind power in Ireland?
Over the past ten years wind power generation in the republic of Ireland has increased from two wind farms producing 20 MW in 1992 (1 megawatt = 1,000 kilowatts) to 88 wind farms capable of producing 866MW, as at the end of December 2007.
Does the government support wind energy in Ireland?
The government supports the development of all renewable based electricity generating plants including wind turbine generators. Eamon Ryan the Minister for Communications Energy and Natural resources recently announced a renewable energy feed-in tariff scheme (REFIT), administered by his Department, and supported by Sustainable Energy Ireland, that delivers the requisite stability for project developers to secure financing. The Scheme will provide incentives and encouragement for individuals and businesses wishing to invest in or develop power from renewable sources. It does this by providing a guaranteed price for electricity produced by new plants for 15 years.
At the annoucment of this scheme the Minister said “I have long said that Ireland can be a world leader in sustainable energy”, “Ireland needs to reduce our fossil fuel import bill and our dependence on imported energy sources. Renewable electricity is a critical cornerstone of Ireland’s approach to moving towards a low-carbon and robust economy”.
“Ireland has one of the finest renewable energy resource potentials in the world. Today we are making important steps to ensure that it is tapped”.
What is the current status of wind energy worldwide?
By 2002 Europe was the world leader in wind power, responsible for three quarters of the world’s production of wind generated electricity; 15% coming from the United States and 10% from the rest of the world, notably India, Japan, China and Canada. The European leaders are Germany - which owns half of the continents installed power, followed by Spain and Denmark. Today, nearly all European countries have programmes for wind energy development and turbine installation. Europe is leading the world into the age of wind energy.
The European Wind Energy Association projects that Europe's wind-based electricity-generating capacity will nearly triple from 2003 to 2010. By 2020, wind-generated electricity is projected to satisfy the residential needs of 195 million Europeans—half of the region's population. After developing most of its existing 28,400 megawatts of capacity on land, Europe is now tapping offshore wind resources as well. A 2004 assessment of Europe's offshore wind-energy potential concluded that if Europe moves more aggressively to develop its vast offshore resources, wind could be supplying all of the region's residential electricity by 2020.
What is the European policy on renewable energy?
The Commission of the European Communities has issued a proposal to implement a directive to establish an overall binding target of a 20% share of renewable energy sources in energy consumption by each Member State, as well as binding national targets by 2020.
What is the Kyoto protocol?
The Kyoto protocol is an international treaty which indirectly contains Ireland’s commitment to limit greenhouse gas emissions to a 13% increase over 1990 levels by 2008—2012 and which calls for research and development in the areas of renewable energy. Furthermore, the EU target of 22% of electricity supply from renewable sources by 2010, underpinned by the EC directive 2001/1771/EC on the promotion of electricity produced from renewable energy sources, requires Ireland to generate a minimum of 13% of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2010.
Wind energy and environmental impact
Are the wind turbines going to be noisy?
Wind turbines are not noisy. The evolution of wind farm technology over the past decade has rendered mechanical noise from turbines almost undetectable with the main sound being the aerodynamic swoosh of the blades passing the tower. There are strict guidelines on wind turbines and noise emissions to ensure the protection of residential amenity. It is possible to stand underneath a turbine and hold a conversation without having to raise your voice. As wind speed rises, the noise of the wind masks the noise made by wind turbines.
Will the wind farm affect fishing?
Offshore wind farms foundations in the North Sea are covered with marine growth that attracts fish. No significant impacts are expected on fishing due to the spacing of the wind turbines, 6 to 9 football fields apart, buried electric cables that won’t interfere with fishing gear, and the relatively shallow depths where the wind turbines would be located that already preclude certain types of commercial fishing.
Will they affect marine life?
Studies on existing projects have shown that some foundations can act as artificial reefs with a resultant increase in fish populations from the new food supply.
Studies of offshore wind farms in Europe have not found any adverse impacts to marine mammals. Care is taken during the construction phase of a wind farm to ensure that there are no marine mammals present in the immediate vicinity during construction activities. Perhaps the biggest threat facing marine mammals generally is a steep decline in ocean plankton populations that are the base of the food chain that marine mammals depend upon. This plankton decline is a result of global warming brought on by fossil fueled greenhouse gas emissions that wind farms can help reduce.
Will they affect birds?
Studies of birds and offshore wind farms in Germany and Denmark have found that there are very few bird collisions. Most birds have been observed by cameras and by radar to fly around the wind farms, and those birds flying through the wind farms have been observed flying through the open corridors between turbine rows. Several offshore wind sites have been in areas heavily used by seabirds. Improvements in wind turbine design, including a much slower rate of rotation of the blades and a smooth tower base instead of perchable lattice towers, have helped reduce bird mortality at wind farms around the world.
What if there's a storm at sea?
The turbines will be warranted and tested to withstand extreme wind conditions and in the event of severe weather, the blades turn out of the wind and will shut down for safety reasons when wind speeds become gale strength at around 55 miles per hour and above.
Are there any environmental benefits of offshore turbines?
Every unit of electricity generated from the wind, whether on land or at sea, saves a unit generated from coal, oil or gas - depending on what type of power plant it replaces. Therefore each unit of electricity generated by wind energy saves emissions of greenhouses gases, pollutants and waste products.
What other countries have wind farms at sea?
There are 27 offshore wind farms in operation worldwide.
- 5 currently operational in the UK
- 19 in the North Sea & Baltic Sea Area off Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Netherlands
- 1 in Ireland
- 1 off Bilbao Spain
- 1 in Japan
4 wind farms are expected to become operational in 2007, 1 each in the UK, Sweden, Netherlands & Germany. There are a further 86 wind farms currently at various stages of the planning process worldwide.
