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Wind energy; Developing New Technology
News:
- Global scientific research reveals that generation of wind energy has high indirect impact on the ecosystem
Important Facts:
- India has a renewable energy target of 175GW by 2022 and wind energy is one of the most popular renewable energy technologies in India
- Wind farms are mostly located in the Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats
- Wind farms need large forest land diversion and denudation and also fragments forest land through access roads and transmission lines
- It also increases the chances of forest fires
- There has also been growing evidence that generation of wind energy has adverse impact on the ecosystem. Examples:
- Various researches have shown that in the Pacific islands, bat activity is 20% lower in areas with windmills.
- In Texas, there has been a 77% decrease in redhead ducks in coastal ponds with wind farms
- In Rajasthan, transmission lines and spinning blades of wind turbines have increased the mortality rate of the Great Indian Bustard (Designated as Critically Endangered in IUCN Red List)
- Studies by Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore have revealed wind-farms result in a decrease in population of birds, rodents and smaller animals. Lower levels of predation have increased lizard population, resulting in increased competition and decrease in consumable resources
- In India, the guidelines for wind energy do not focus on the mitigation of the impact on wildlife.
- With the growing evidence on indirect impact of windmills on ecosystem, the government should formulate policies to combat the effects.
