Life cycle energy and greenhouse emissions analysis of wind turbines and the effect of size on energy yield

Abstract

Wind turbines, used to generate renewable energy, are typically considered to take only a number of months to produce as much energy as is required in their manufacture and operation. With a life expectancy of upwards of 20 years, the energy produced by wind turbines over their life can be many times greater than that embodied in their production. Many previous life cycle energy studies of wind turbines are based on methods of assessment now known to be incomplete. These studies may underestimate the energy embodied in wind turbines by more than 50%, potentially overestimating the energy yield of those systems and possibly affecting the comparison of energy generation options. With the incre..