Winds of Change

Whenever renewable energy is brought up, the first option to come to mind in hot, sunny Singapore is probably solar energy, right? 

However, as the title of this article suggests, today’s focus is on wind energy with the forthcoming Global Wind Day on 15 June! According to the Renewables 2020 Global Status Report, wind energy made up about 6% of global electricity production in 2019 – twice the amount of electricity generated by solar power¹! As global renewable energy capacity is on the rise², countries become more reliant on renewable energy for power. This shift towards renewable resources can eventually conserve resources which are not renewable and reduce global carbon footprint. 

Now, let’s learn more about wind energy!

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Glossary:

1. Clean energy: Energy sources that do not release pollutants.
2. Dirty energy: Energy sources such as fossil fuels that cause environmental damage.
3. Green Energy: Energy from natural sources such as wind, sunlight and water.
4. Renewable energy: Energy is generated from sources that are being replenished constantly.

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The Blades on the Turbine Go Round and Round

Wind turbines are like the rainbow pinwheels from my childhood but 1000 times bigger and less colourful. When the wind blows through the turbine, causing its blades to spin, kinetic energy harnessed by the wind can then be converted to the electricity that we use³. Wind farms can be built both on land and at sea to catch the wind, normally in open spaces where the wind is not obstructed⁴.

It’s Not Easy Being Green

Is wind energy all that eco-friendly though? While it is renewable, does it harm the environment? 

The truth is that wind farms aren’t totally green as they still have a carbon footprint, can cause noise pollution and pose threats to animals.

Firstly, it’s to be expected that wind farms have a carbon footprint since wind turbines don’t occur naturally. Constructing, transporting and maintaining the turbines all generate greenhouse gases⁵ — but still not as much as the use of fossil fuels! Using natural gas to power a 3-room HDB flat in Singapore produces 440 times the emissions produced if wind energy was used instead⁶, making wind energy still a better option than fossil fuels. 

Do You Hear Something?

Have you noticed that fans make a sound when they spin? My ceiling fan makes this “whum” noise and wind turbines are no exception as they produce a low pitched noise when the blades are spinning⁷. Some studies have shown that people living near wind turbines are affected by the sound and that it could cause negative health impacts such as insomnia and headaches⁸. However, another report by the Iowa Environment Council found no concrete proof that these problems were caused by the noise from wind turbines, and that some people may just be falsely attributing their symptoms to the wind turbines due to their disfavour towards wind farms⁹. To make your own judgement of how loud the sound is, click here to see a decibel test comparing the noise levels of wind farms to other places!

What About The Animals?!

Unfortunately, land animals, marine animals and birds can all be affected by wind farms. Birds and bats can collide with the spinning blades and get hurt⁷, while noise pollution from the construction of offshore wind farms (wind farms out at sea) can interfere with the communication between marine mammals¹⁰. There is also a loss of habitat as wind farms are generally built in open spaces, which could cause some animals to avoid these areas¹¹. In this case, switching to renewable energy does come at the cost of biodiversity loss, emphasising the need to balance these two priorities.

Let’s Get Local

If wind energy is still cleaner, why are we still using natural gas in Singapore? 

Actually, did you know that Pulau Semakau has a working wind turbine¹²? It is part of a project where power grids are being built to increase our reliance on cleaner energy sources, which is in line with Singapore’s goals for sustainable energy.

However, mainland Singapore doesn’t have the right conditions for wind farms¹³, so we still have to rely on natural gas for now. Despite this, there may be hope for wind farms in our neighbouring countries which we could collaborate on and tap into¹⁴. Sadly, the costs of wind energy projects compared to other energy sources like solar have caused progress to be slow¹⁵. In this case, wind energy may hence not always be the best alternative to dirty energy, particularly in Singapore, since the feasibility is low.

I think that more research should be done on wind power, so as to reduce the negative impacts and costs, leading to a greener energy source. 

Now, I’ve told you what wind energy has to offer, but what do you think about it? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts on wind energy in Singapore!