Wind energy myths

Myth: Turbines take up a lot of land

Windmills

The area, which an average turbine occupies is very small – approx. 30 m2.
The area on which turbines are set is very often inaccessible and not used for agriculture.
The land between the turbines can be used for agriculture without any problems.
In many countries wind farms are tourist attractions, and according to the level of tidiness and purity they can be compared with national parks.

Myth: Wind farms are unpopular

Wind farms and their popularity

Surveys show exactly the opposite.
90% of the population in the UK, for example, believe that the government should support the exploitation of renewable energy sources.
80% of the population in the UK support the Government plan to drastically increase the number of wind turbines.
66% of the interviewed individuals approve the construction of new wind turbines in their regions.

Myth: Turbines are dangerous

Windmills

Wind farms do not produce harmful gases, pollution or hazardous waste.
In the past 25 years in the whole world has been installed more than 68.000 wind turbine generators, and neither on any of them happened an average dangerous for the human health.
There are numerous studies that confirm that the noise from wind farms is not harmful or dangerous for humans.
Each wind farm must satisfy in accordance to the terms of the noise level which is prescribed under the law of environmental protection. For example, the level of vibration on the distance of 100 meters from the turbine is for a factor of 10 smaller than the level prescribed for the work in modern laboratories.

Myth: Wind farms put down the prices of the nearby property

Wind parks and prices of the nearby properties

Many studies across Europe prove that wind farms do not have any influence on the average price of the houses.
After a wind farm has been in operation for two years, the prices of the houses start to raise abruptly.
Surveys show that people who live near the wind farms are their biggest supporters.

Myth: Wind farms chase off tourists

Wind farms and tourism

Many wind farms are tourist attractions
A single wind farm in Scotland (Scroby Sands) has more than 30.000 visitors every year.
90% of the surveyed tourists who have visited the Scottish wind farm stated that they were satisfied with excursion.

Myth: The turbine blades are dangerous for birds

Windmills are not dangerous for birds

Wind farms are not constructed in areas known as the migration paths of birds.
The biggest danger for birds and their populations are the climate changes.
There are no facts stating that a wind farm has caused any major damaging effect on birds, larger than any building or airport for example.
Scientists that understand the ecology of birds participate in the designing and construction of wind farms.

Myth: Wind farms produce too little energy

Wind farms

Only one turbine with a power of 2 MW at a good location produces enough energy to supply up to 2000 households.
Croatia imports between 20% and 30% of its electricity.
It is expected that the price of electricity obtained from wind farms will be around the year 2010 competitive with the electricity obtained from other sources.
In areas such as islands, for example, wind farms contribute to a secure supply.
On islands wind farms can be used very efficient for the desalination of water.
It is predicted that wind will be the main source for obtaining the fuel of the future (hydrogen).

Myth: Wind energy doesn’t contribute to reduct. of climate changes

Wind energy and climate changes

Power generation from wind reduces the production of CO2.
With a production of 10% of electricity from renewable energy the emission of CO2 will be drastically reduced by the year 2010.
Any additional production of electricity from renewable sources reduces the consumption of fossil fuels, thus reducing pollution.

Myth: Construction projects are carried out without the approval…

Windmills and local community

The law regulates strictly that wind farms can not be build without the approval of the local community and within the urban plan.
Each wind farm must satisfy strictly prescribed laws and procedures concerning the environmental protection, regional plan and arranging.
For a wind farm bigger than 50 MW the government must issue the permission.
When designing a wind farm the natural environment must be preserved.

Myth: Wind farms are ultimately more expensive than other sources

Wind parks - price and cost effectiveness

Wind farms are currently the most economic technology of exploitation of renewable energy sources, compared with solar, wave energy and biomass.
Wind farms represent a technology that currently has the highest rate of growth and that in the past few years has a growth of around 30%.
Denmark currently meets around 21% of its electricity demand from wind farms and plans to reach till the year 2030 the amount of 50%.
The development of wind farms in Denmark contributes to the development of industries that manufacture generators and turbines and today this industry employs over 20.000 people.
The Danish industry of wind generators exports 90 % of its production.
The expected growth of wind farms in the world is much higher than the growth of the Chinese economy.

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company for production and distribution of electric energy

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22 203 Rogoznica

Tel: +385 (0)22 559 002
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Email: novaenergija@novaenergija.hr

10 MYTHS ABOUT WIND ENERGY

MYTH:
The turbine blades are dangerous for birds

FACT:
Wind farms are not constructed in areas known as the migration paths of birds.
The biggest danger for birds and their populations are the climate changes.
There are no facts stating that a wind farm has caused any major damaging effect on birds, larger than any building or airport for example.
Scientists that understand the ecology of birds participate in the designing and construction of wind farms.

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