The Future of Onshore Wind Energy

The major difference between onshore and offshore wind is the location in which the turbines are placed. Onshore wind turbines are on land, while offshore turbines are placed in a body of water. While both serve the same purpose, there are some other key differences between the two types of wind energy.

In particular, offshore wind turbines tend to encounter higher wind speeds, which leads to more energy created. Moreover, onshore wind speeds have higher volatility, leading to greater uncertainty concerning the consistency of energy created by onshore wind turbines. Nevertheless, both types of wind power serve as important sources of renewable energy.

While offshore wind may provide a more efficient process of creating renewable energy, it comes with a high cost. The higher costs arise due to different factors such as corrosion, maintenance and other operating expenses associated with running an offshore wind turbine.

Onshore wind is a more cost-effective route when setting out to produce wind energy. Compared to offshore wind, turbines used in producing onshore wind energy are easier to install and transport, which inherently affects expenses. Additionally, it costs less to maintain onshore wind turbines due to technological advancements meant to reduce wear and tear.

The adoption of onshore wind projects continues to increase due to the environmental push to reduce carbon emissions. Governments around the world are committing to this sustainable energy source and investing in the benefits that wind projects bring for a low-carbon future.

Estimates show that by 2050, Asia will make up 50% of the global onshore wind market. This is largely due to China’s onshore wind capacity and its push to dominate the market. This past year, China saw the largest wind energy capacity increase since 2015, followed by the United States. Japan is also contributing to the increase in global wind capacity with its onshore projects aimed to double its wind power generation efforts.

Unlike nonrenewable energy sources, wind energy can offer many environmental benefits, such as:

• Carbon emission reductions: As a clean, renewable energy source, wind power has a minimal environmental impact compared to fossil fuels. The amount of carbon emissions a turbine produces is considerably lower than that of most other energy sources. As more businesses strive to have net-zero emissions, onshore wind turbines play a key role in producing more energy and reducing the need for outside contributions.

• Cleaner air quality: Wind turbines help improve air quality by emitting next to no pollution. By not releasing air pollutants like nitrogen oxide, wind turbines can have a positive impact on public health.
• Lower impact of surrounding area: Since onshore wind farms are located in high-impact areas, some may think they are harmful to wildlife or habitats. However, onshore turbines do not release harmful toxins that can damage surrounding areas. Therefore, the land around the wind farm can remain habitable and safe. Furthermore, wind turbine technology can work hand in hand with other renewable resources like solar and hydropower. As each of these methods contributes to sustainable energy initiatives, the need for fossil fuel power becomes reduced.

The creation of wind power can offer these social benefits:

• Increased energy security: Because wind is an infinite resource, we can theoretically always use it to create power. This isn’t true for resources like coal or oil, which are finite resources that will eventually run out. Therefore, wind energy as a whole can create better energy security.
• Community involvement: When onshore wind farms are built, people in the community can still use the surrounding land for farming and other purposes, making the creation of wind energy more community-focused. Additionally, communities can undertake their own wind farm projects to increase sustainable energy use in their towns and cities.
• Contribution to global goals: More and more, the world is recognizing the importance of sustainability. Using renewable resources like wind power contributes to the world’s goals of using less oil, fossil fuels and other nonrenewable resources and puts us a step closer to transitioning away from them for good.