U.S. Department of EnergyOffice of Scientific and Technical Information
Land Use Requirements of Modern Wind Power Plants in the United States
Abstract
This report provides data and analysis of the land use associated with modern, large wind power plants (defined as greater than 20 megawatts (MW) and constructed after 2000). The analysis discusses standard land-use metrics as established in the life-cycle assessment literature, and then discusses their applicability to wind power plants. The report identifies two major 'classes' of wind plant land use: 1) direct impact (i.e., disturbed land due to physical infrastructure development), and 2) total area (i.e., land associated with the complete wind plant project). The analysis also provides data for each of these classes, derived from project applications, environmental impact statements, and other sources. It attempts to identify relationships among land use, wind plant configuration, and geography. The analysts evaluated 172 existing or proposed projects, which represents more than 26 GW of capacity. In addition to providing land-use data and summary statistics, they identify several limitations to the existing wind project area data sets, and suggest additional analysis that could aid in evaluating actual land use and impacts associated with deployment of wind energy.
- Authors:
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 964608
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/TP-6A2-45834
TRN: US200919%%546
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC36-99-GO10337
- Resource Type:
- Technical Report
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 17 WIND ENERGY; CAPACITY; CONFIGURATION; ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENTS; GEOGRAPHY; LAND USE; LIFE CYCLE; METRICS; STATISTICS; WIND POWER PLANTS; NREL; LIFE-CYCLE ASSESSMENT; WIND POWER; WIND ENERGY; WIND CAPACITY; WIND PROJECT; UNITED STATES; LAND IMPACT; PAUL DENHOM; MAUREEN HAND; MADDALENA JACKSON; SEAN ONG; Energy Analysis; Wind Energy
Citation Formats
Denholm, P, Hand, M, Jackson, M, and Ong, S. Land Use Requirements of Modern Wind Power Plants in the United States. United States: N. p., 2009.
Web. doi:10.2172/964608.
Denholm, P, Hand, M, Jackson, M, & Ong, S. Land Use Requirements of Modern Wind Power Plants in the United States. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/964608
Denholm, P, Hand, M, Jackson, M, and Ong, S. 2009.
"Land Use Requirements of Modern Wind Power Plants in the United States". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/964608. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/964608.
@article{osti_964608,
title = {Land Use Requirements of Modern Wind Power Plants in the United States},
author = {Denholm, P and Hand, M and Jackson, M and Ong, S},
abstractNote = {This report provides data and analysis of the land use associated with modern, large wind power plants (defined as greater than 20 megawatts (MW) and constructed after 2000). The analysis discusses standard land-use metrics as established in the life-cycle assessment literature, and then discusses their applicability to wind power plants. The report identifies two major 'classes' of wind plant land use: 1) direct impact (i.e., disturbed land due to physical infrastructure development), and 2) total area (i.e., land associated with the complete wind plant project). The analysis also provides data for each of these classes, derived from project applications, environmental impact statements, and other sources. It attempts to identify relationships among land use, wind plant configuration, and geography. The analysts evaluated 172 existing or proposed projects, which represents more than 26 GW of capacity. In addition to providing land-use data and summary statistics, they identify several limitations to the existing wind project area data sets, and suggest additional analysis that could aid in evaluating actual land use and impacts associated with deployment of wind energy.},
doi = {10.2172/964608},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/964608},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {2009},
month = {8}
}