Chapter 4 - Environmental assessment of wind turbines and wind energy

Abstract

The accurate quantification of the environmental performance of wind turbines and wind energy, as well as the establishment of the optimal designs of wind turbines, which maximize the benefits and minimize the environmental burdens, is key for transitioning our societies towards sustainable, circular and climate-neutral economic models. Especially, when taking into consideration the research and innovation trends of the wind energy sector providing a glimpse of its near future on going bigger, it is comprehensible that the associated environmental positive, but also negative impacts, will multiply by several factors. This chapter initially introduces the latest research trends of the wind energy sector relating to the wind energy systems—electricity grid integration, offshore, and floating systems, the integration of next-generation technologies to the systems, and the sector’s digitalization. A comprehensive overview of life cycle inventory (LCI) and life cycle assessment (LCA) studies for wind turbines and wind energy is conducted, which enables the definition of key parameters that are taken into account in the implementation of LCAs of these systems, while also relevant and significant findings and figures are presented. The chapter concludes with the implementation of a critical review of the LCA studies under investigation and identifies both shared among different sectors and technology-specific challenges in the environmental assessment of wind turbines.