Why are there no wind turbines in town?

Very present in the countryside or at sea, wind turbines supply certain regions with electricity. It is impossible to install such structures in the city. Here’s why !

Alternative solutions for generating green electricity are multiplying. Thus, installations for renewable energy, whether they involve air, water or even solar, multiply. One of the most widespread remains the wind turbine. Can be offshore or onshore, it is recognizable by its somewhat futuristic, white windmill shape. However, its installation is limited to isolated areas, usually in the countryside or at sea. This makes many people wonder why this type of installation is not more developed in the city. It turns out that the operation of wind turbines has some disadvantages that can harm humans, but also our electrical appliances.

Many nuisances caused by wind turbines

When she spins, a wind turbine generates a lot of noise. These rather squeaky noises can have two origins. The first comes from the wind which makes it possible to turn the propellers and thus generate electricity. The second comes from the internal mechanical elements which squeak when they turn. However, noise pollution is not the only element that justifies the non-installation of wind turbines in cities. Their imposing size means that they can interfere with the waves that surround us. In the city, a wind turbine could therefore affect the proper functioning telephone networks such as 5G, the Internet or our televisions. Finally, if a city is a migration corridor, the wind turbine poses a danger to birds which can be struck by the moving propellers.

The urban landscape of our cities: a big disadvantage

The lack of spaces of our cities is one of the main reasons for the absence of wind turbines. Wind turbines are unsightly due to their size. The installation of a wind turbine requires much more space than another wind turbine to avoid collisions between the propellers. The installation of a wind turbine, for example, must respect a distance of 900 meters from another wind turbine. Thanks to this distance, the impact of the wake effect is considerably reduced and favors the production of electricity as much as possible.

And this is where the second point comes in, which prevents wind turbines from staying in our suburbs. Indeed, scientists mention that to make wind turbines operational, the intervention of the wind is necessary. However, in our cities, with the presence of buildingof high towersof skyscraperofbuilding, the wind is very disturbed. Therefore, it is impossible to make wind turbines productive.

A possibility of smaller urban wind turbines under development

For all these reasons, as well as for its lack of aesthetics, the wind turbine is not allowed in town. However, things could change in the years to come. Companies are currently working on projects forurban wind turbines. Smaller and in the shape of a tube, they would be installed on the flat roofs of cities in order to generate green electricity. However, this innovation is still at the experimental stage. Indeed, it is necessary to create a system which can adapt to the irregularity of the winds in town and to study the wind potential of the zones concerned. However, these smaller and more economical wind turbines could in the future supply electricity to certain buildings or public buildings.

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Why are there no wind turbines in town?