Issues regarding wind turbines positioning: A benchmark study with the application of the life cycle assessment approach

Abstract In the specific study a number of issues are addressed and discussed regarding wind turbines positioning in terms of land, coastal and offshore installation. More specifically, technical, environmental, energy, social and economical parameters are evaluated, providing thus a holistic assessment of the systems under examination. The analysis of the systems is based on literature references, theoretical calculations and simulation scenarios, taking into account life cycle thinking. The environmental assessment is performed with the application of special life cycle assessment software, and the results are considered to be representative for Greece and Mediterranean regions. Indicatively, it can be inferred that land wind turbines seem to be the environmentally friendliest choice. Significant questions are raised regarding wind turbines waste management schemes and their material usage. On the other hand, the offshore wind turbine surpasses the other two versions in terms of energy and financial reimbursement. However, existing barriers of different nature, i.e. financial, administrative and/or social may hold up the rapid development of the wind (onshore or offshore) energy in many European countries.

[1]  Francis Meunier,et al.  Life cycle analysis of 4.5 MW and 250 W wind turbines , 2009 .

[2]  Valerio Lo Brano,et al.  Energy performances and life cycle assessment of an Italian wind farm , 2008 .

[3]  C. Gross,et al.  Community perspectives of wind energy in Australia: The application of a justice and community fairness framework to increase social acceptance , 2007 .

[4]  Jeremy Firestone,et al.  Public acceptance of offshore wind power projects in the USA , 2009 .

[5]  Claire Haggett.  Over the Sea and Far Away? A Consideration of the Planning, Politics and Public Perception of Offshore Wind Farms , 2008 .

[6]  Faisal Khan,et al.  Life Cycle Analysis of wind–fuel cell integrated system , 2005 .

[7]  Mhairi Aitken,et al.  Why we still don't understand the social aspects of wind power: A critique of key assumptions within the literature , 2010 .

[8]  Marcos Aurélio Vasconcelos de Freitas,et al.  Acceptance of renewable energy innovation in Brazil : case study of wind energy , 2008 .

[9]  D. Bell,et al.  The ‘Social Gap’ in Wind Farm Siting Decisions: Explanations and Policy Responses , 2005 .

[10]  Liselotte Schleisner,et al.  Life cycle assessment of a wind farm and related externalities , 2000 .

[11]  Rolf Wüstenhagen,et al.  Social acceptance of renewable energy innovation: An introduction to the concept , 2007 .

[12]  Patrick Devine-Wright,et al.  Beyond NIMBYism: towards an integrated framework for understanding public perceptions of wind energy , 2005 .

[13]  Alain Nadaï,et al.  “Planning”, “siting” and the local acceptance of wind power: Some lessons from the French case , 2007 .

[14]  Paolo Frankl,et al.  Life cycle assessment as a management tool , 2002 .

[15]  J. Munksgaard,et al.  Energy and CO2 life-cycle analyses of wind turbines—review and applications , 2002 .

[16]  Jessica Lohmann,et al.  Life cycle assessment of the offshore wind farm alpha ventus , 2011 .

[17]  Begoña Guezuraga,et al.  Life cycle assessment of two different 2 MW class wind turbines , 2012 .

[18]  Pieter Glasbergen,et al.  Implementation of wind energy in the Netherlands: the importance of the social–institutional setting , 2004 .

[19]  G. Ellis,et al.  Many ways to say ‘no’, different ways to say ‘yes’: Applying Q-Methodology to understand public acceptance of wind farm proposals , 2007 .

[20]  Walter J.V. Vermeulen,et al.  The relative importance of social and institutional conditions in the planning of wind power projects , 2009 .

[21]  Patrick Hofstetter,et al.  Midpoints versus endpoints: The sacrifices and benefits , 2000 .

[22]  S. Pellegrini,et al.  Life cycle assessment of a multi-megawatt wind turbine , 2009 .

[23]  Edgar G. Hertwich,et al.  Life cycle assessment of a floating offshore wind turbine , 2009 .

[24]  Maarten Wolsink,et al.  Wind power deployment outcomes: How can we account for the differences? , 2008 .

[25]  Maarten Wolsink,et al.  Near-shore Wind Power - Protected Seascapes, Environmentalists' Attitudes, and the Technocratic Planning Perspective , 2010 .

[26]  A. Jobert,et al.  Local acceptance of wind energy: Factors of success identified in French and German case studies , 2007 .

[27]  E. Martínez,et al.  LCA sensitivity analysis of a multi-megawatt wind turbine , 2010 .

[28]  J. Kaldellis.  Social attitude towards wind energy applications in Greece , 2005 .

[29]  María Isabel Blanco.  The economics of wind energy , 2009 .

[30]  N. Meyer.  Learning from wind energy policy in the EU: lessons from Denmark, Sweden and Spain , 2007 .

[31]  Manfred Lenzen,et al.  Wind turbines in Brazil and Germany: an example of geographical variability in life-cycle assessment , 2004 .

[32]  Yasushi Maruyama,et al.  The rise of community wind power in Japan: Enhanced acceptance through social innovation , 2007 .