Trade-offs of wind power production: A study on the environmental implications of raw materials mining in the life cycle of wind turbines

Abstract

The energy demand in Sweden is increasing due to the growing electrification, and to meet this need, the generation must be expanded. Wind power generation is a very attractive renewable power production alternative for Sweden because of the favorable weather conditions.Research looks at how much wind energy may be deemed sustainable. Increased energy demand puts pressure on the government and industry to build more wind farms and, as a result, produce more wind turbines. Raw materials are necessary for wind turbines to provide a secure transition to green energy technologies. To meet these demands, the materials from various countries should efficiently contribute towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This paper gathers information about raw resources from diverse nations worldwide. All materials are mapped to the country where they are produced using social science criteria. A few nations are chosen based on a sample approach for further analysis, and the implications of mining operations are investigated. Finally, the direct and indirect effects of the SDGs are considered.Based on the data gathered, recommendations and considerations are given to avoid or mitigate the repercussions of raw materials mining and make wind power generation more socially and environmentally sustainable.