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Christian Kjaer European Wind Energy Association

Explore the intersection of wind energy and biodiversity, focusing on the potential impacts, coexistence strategies, and conservation opportunities of wind farms in Europe. Learn how ecological restoration and offshore siting can enhance conservation efforts.

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Christian Kjaer European Wind Energy Association

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  1. Bruxelles, 1 June2005 Green Week Biodiversity: Can it adapt to climate change Christian Kjaer European Wind Energy Association

  2. About EWEA  EWEA is the voice of the wind industry – actively promoting the utilisation of wind power in Europe and worldwide  EWEA members from over 40 countries include 200 companies, organisationsand research institutions  EWEA members include 98% of global wind turbine manufacturing  EWEA is a founding member of the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC), which groups the 6 key renewable industry and research associations under one roof

  3. European Challenges • Economic growth • Employment • Technology development • Exports • Environment • Sustainable development • Kyoto: -8% CO2 • Power demand up 1.6% p.a. • 2002: EU Energyimport: 50% • 2025: EU Energyimport: 70% • Few indigenous resources

  4. EU-25 Power Production Mix 2003 Electricity’s share of EU CO2 emissions: 33%

  5. Effects of climate change

  6. EU Power Production Externalities • Cost of damage to environment and health – excluding global warming and climate change (EU-15) • 1-2% of GDP • €85 - €170 billion per year • Avoided external cost by wind in EU: • 2000: €1.8 bn • 2005: €5 bn • 2020: €25 bn

  7. EUROPE’S WINDCAPACITY – JUNE 2003

  8. CONTRIBUTION OF WIND POWER (TWH) TO ELECTRICITY GENERATION 1995-2020, EU 2004: 2.3% of EU-25 electricity demand

  9. Annual CO2 Emission Reductions from Wind Power

  10. Wind power and CO2 • EU Kyoto Commitment: • Reduction of 355 Mt CO2 equivalents by 2010 • 75 GW wind power in 2010: 109 Mt CO2/year • By 2010, wind will meet 30% of EU Kyoto commitment

  11. Perceived and actual problemsSurvey of people living within 20 km of wind farms in Scotland Source: MORI

  12. Need to determine the scale of the problem... • 4.5 million sq.km. (20%) of tropical forest cut or burned (19602-1990s) • Deforestation: 50,000 to 170,000 sq.km. Per year • EU agriculture claims 50% of land (1-3% of wind farm land available for other use) • Bird kills • (Source: Wordwatch institute): • Cats: 1 billion birds per year in the US • Pesticides: 67 million deaths and 672 million exposed in US (1992) • Communication towers: 40 million birds per year in US • Exxon Valdez: 250,000 bird deaths • Western EcoSystems Technology study (2001): • Wind responsible for one in every 5,000-10,000 bird collissions

  13. A proper judgement • Under the assumption that we still want electricity: • Impacts from wind power on biodiversity should be compared with those from alternative means of producing electricity in EIAs • Requires that the impacts on biodiversity from oil, coal, gas, nuclear and hydro are better understood

  14. Wind farm impacts are different from most other developments • There are potential negative impacts on biodiversity • There are also positive impacts, e.g. On: • climate change • acid rain • water pollution • air pollution Application of current Directives in some Member States seems disproportionate to wind energy’s net impact on biodiversity

  15. Designation and offshore siting Consenting cables and high capital costs are the critical issues in the German offshore programme

  16. Environmental Impact Assessment • The project specific EIA framework works well, however the feedback on new project scoping is often conservative • Increased collaboration is needed to fully assess cumulative impacts, especially in relation to large-scale offshore development • Strategic Environmental Assessments can impose delays on increased offshore wind penetration

  17. Wind energy and biodiversity • Co-existence is key between Wind Energy and Nature Conservation • Wind farms do offer some opportunity to practice ecological restoration both onshore and offshore • Wind farms are not nature reservations, but they are not deserts either

  18. Conservation potential of wind farms • Onshore wind farms do offer some opportunities to practice ecological restoration in overgrazed and eroded areas • Offshore wind farms do offer potential to revive fish stocks and other related marine life • This will only happen if we are determined to maximise the conservation potential of the wind farms • We must measure synergies and benefits of the wind farms rather than simply monitor ecological change

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