The Positive Environmental Externalities of Wind Farms
Wind power generation may reduce greenhouse gas emissions by replacing conventional fossil-fuel-based power plants.
Conventional power plants emit greenhouse gases from fuel burning. The amount of carbon dioxide emissions depends on the quantity of fuel burnt and the amount of carbon in the fuel (Denny & O’Malley 2006).
The quantity of carbon dioxide savings due to wind power generation varies case by case depending on power system characteristics.
Other environmental benefits of wind power include avoiding damage to crops and forests by local air pollution. Also, avoiding water pollution from conventional power plants (World Bank 2015).
References
Denny, E. & O’Malley, M., 2006. Wind generation, power system operation, and emissions reduction. IEEE Transactions on Power Systems, 21(1), pp.341–347.
World Bank, 2015. Volume 2: Guidelines for Economic Analysis of Power Sector Projects, TECHNICAL NOTES, Washington, D.C.