But is wind technology really the answer?
The wind blows, shifting weather systems around the globe in roughly a west to east direction, bringing changes in temperature, rainfall and pressure. We take the wind for granted, don't we? It's just there. Sometimes it's not welcome; in the sweltering heat it blows hot and dry, causing huge moisture loss on the ground below. In the winter it blows hard and has the capacity to destroy, with tornadoes and cyclones. But we see wind as an asset, something we can harness for our needs and above all - free.
These assumptions have led the world to develop wind technology over quite a few decades now. Very clever engineers have developed machines to capture it by making it pass through enormous blades on top of even more gigantic towers. And where we were uncomfortable with these massive structures on land, we have pushed them out into the ocean, where we assume they cause no damage and just sit there quietly accumulating all that lovely energy and converting it for our use.
But I have to tell you, after a lot of research, conversations with engineers and watching many videos of world leaders in the energy field, that this is all, in fact, a lie. Wind turbines are in actuality dangerous for our environment and extremely dangerous for us. The impacts of wind turbines on the marine environment alone should be cause for alarm. But don’t just take my word for it. Here are some facts that you may not know:
1. Leading Edge Erosion
The
blades of wind turbines are made from composite materials, based on
carbon fibres, which are glued together with toxic substances, usually Bisphenol A.
As the blades rotate through the air, it causes friction and wear. The
way in which these blades deteriorate is quite frightening. The toxic
glues which hold the fibres together are released in minute particles
into the atmosphere. Not only will you breathe these in to your lungs,
which then pass into your bloodstream, but they also fall onto the land
below, into the bellies of grazing animals, which we then eat, into the
water sources below ground and therefore into our drinking water. Bisphenol A is a known endocrine inhibitor and affects reproductive health in both people and fish.2. Neodymium magnets
Nacelles
house the gear box, generator, drive train and brake assembly and
contain special magnets. Each nacelle unit on a wind turbine contains up
to a ton of Neodymium, a rare earth metal. As the turbine spins, Neodymium dust
is shed into the surrounding environment. Studies in many countries of
the world have shown this toxic metal present in the hair of cattle, in
plants and even in people living near wind factories. It also causes
external rashes to workers and people living nearby. The effects of
inhaling or ingesting the substance is not fully known yet.
3. Petroleum-based lubricants
The
metal components of a wind turbine require constant lubrication. These
lubricants are synthetic and do not belong in the natural environment.
They leak constantly from the gearbox, as gaskets wear out. These
petrochemicals then enter into the water sources below. (Pollution,
Contaminants, Threats Posed by Industrial Wind Turbines, and the
Economic Realities of Offshore Wind by Rich Davenport, Sportsman’s
Advocate and Conservationist, and Mike Boismenu, PE November 15, 2021)
4. De-icing fluids
These
are required to prevent ice buildup on the turbines. Even Wikipedia
notes: “Environmental concerns include increased salinity of groundwater
where de-icing fluids are discharged into soil and toxicity to humans
and mammals.” The main ingredient is usually propylene glycol or ethylene glycol.
These are freezing point depressants (FPD). They are also used in
aircraft. In non-aviation contexts, de-icing chemicals typically contain
chloride salts as well. Other additives include benzotriazole, which is a corrosion inhibitor, Alkylphenol and other non-ionic surfactants, which are used to reduce surface tension, triethanolamine which is a pH buffer, heavy polymers,
which are used to increase visco-elasticity and dyes to aid in
identification. Do you want all these chemicals in your water supply? Do
you want all these chemicals polluting our oceans and being absorbed by
fish, crustaceans, whales, et cetera?
5. Subsonic noise
Operating
at a noise frequency level below human hearing, (LFN, 20–200 Hz), the
effects of subsonic noise upon nearby residents poses a health risk. In a
2021 study, this noise was proven to affect the heart rate of nearby
residents, whether indoors or outdoors. Exposure to these low-frequency
noises, (LFN), “… has been found to cause a variety of health
conditions. Exposure to LFN from wind turbines results in headaches,
difficulty concentrating, irritability, fatigue, dizziness, tinnitus,
aural pain, sleep disturbances and annoyance.” It may also increase the
risk of epilepsy, cardiovascular effects and coronary artery disease.
The variation in heart rate over time indicates an impact on the
autonomic nervous system. (Effects of low-frequency noise from wind turbines on heart rate variability in healthy individuals, Chun-Hsiang Chiu, Shih-Chun Candice Lung, Nathan Chen, Jing-Shiang Hwang & Ming-Chien Mark Tsou) Scientific Reports volume 11, Article number: 17817, 2021)
Two
residents of Victoria, Australia, recently were awarded $260,000 in
damages because their health was so badly affected by nearby wind
turbine noise of the Bald Hill wind factory. Their initial complaints to
the local council were completely disregarded and they ended up taking
their complaint to the Supreme Court of Australia, which found in their
favour. Supreme Court decision
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