ECOLOGICAL IMPACT OF WIND-DIESEL POWER PLANTS ON ECOSYSTEM AND POPULATION HEALTH

Abstract

In electrification of the Eastern regions of Russia, an important part is assigned to the small-scale power distributed generation. In this regard, it is actual to construct wind-diesel power plants (WDPP), which impact on humans and environment is so far poorly studied. The results of a theoretical research of WDPP negative impact on health of the population and ecosystem of the territories of the East of Russia which were not covered by the centralized power supply have been given in the article. The assessment of indicators of atmospheric air pollution (specific and absolute values of the specified mass of annual emission of harmful substances, volumes of greenhouse gases emission, formation of acid rainfall, substances causing eutrophication) and physical pollution (noise, electromagnetic field) during use of WDPP of various rated capacity. Calculations have been done for 692 types of diesel engines and 97 models of wind power installations. The received results were compared with the level of environmental pollution during work of large thermal power plants. There have been given graphic dependences of the specified mass of the emitted harmful substances on power of the diesel engines, a noise level created by the wind power installations, on remoteness of settlements and power of the power installations, as well as a ratio of volume of harmful substances annual emission in the atmosphere during work of WDPP and the large thermal power plants. It has been shown that electrification of the Eastern regions of Russia on the basis of development of small-scale power distributed generation would have an ecological focus.