[ RadSafe ] Wind Turbine effect on local Meteorology - "RIP" [Reduction Insolance Phenonmenon]

[Stewart Farber]

The info below is not a Satire.

 

A fascinating photo is seen below, showing that when air has a relative
humidity close to the dewpoint, it will be cooled by large commercial wind
turbines as energy is abstracted from the air sweeping the blades to below
the dewpoint, which results in:

Cloud formation [and  reduced ground level temperatures, and reduced solar
insolation]  many miles downstream of the wind turbines. 

 

See:

 

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2011/04/28/the-wind-turbine-albedo-effect/

 

I have a modest suggestion for the name of this effect:

 

"Reduction Insolation Phenomenon"  [ RIP ]

 

As a humorous thought, if there are people downwind of a wind turbine farm,
and they have solar panels, the cloud cover created by the energy abstracted
from the wind in producing wind generated electricity,  will reduce solar
insolation due to INCREASED  Albedo. This will DECREASE solar panel
generated electricity since less sunlight will be incident on their solar
panels -on average.  In the right conditions, there would also be some
increased snow formation downwind of a large wind turbine as air is cooled
below the dewpoint to the point snow, or freezing rain, can form. 

 

This occurrence is but another example of the  "Law of Unintended
Consequences". See the Wiki review comment below about the somewhat
analogous effect of artificial clouds created by contrails from jet traffic
or the obscuring of insolation by smoke from burning oil wells in Kuwait,
that dropped the ground level temp under the obscuring clouds of smoke by as
much as 10 degrees C!! The clouds formed by wind turbines near groud level
will have much less effect than a cloud formed a higher altitudes, but there
will be local albedo and solar insolation effects from wind turbines under
certain conditions,  reducing sunlight at ground level. Cool in so many
ways!

 

FROM WIKIPEDIA:

Cloud albedo <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_albedo>  has substantial
influence over atmospheric temperatures. Different types of clouds exhibit
different reflectivity, theoretically ranging in albedo from a minimum of
near 0 to a maximum approaching 0.8. "On any given day, about half of Earth
is covered by clouds, which reflect more sunlight than land and water.
Clouds keep Earth cool by reflecting sunlight, but they can also serve as
blankets to trap warmth."
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albedo#cite_note-livescience-23> [24]

Albedo and climate in some areas are affected by artificial clouds, such as
those created by the contrails <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contrail>  of
heavy commercial airliner traffic.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albedo#cite_note-uww-24> [25] A study
following the burning of the Kuwaiti oil fields during Iraqi occupation
showed that temperatures under the burning oil fires were as much as 10oC
colder than temperatures several miles away under clear skies.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albedo#cite_note-harvard-25> [26]

25.  ^ <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albedo#cite_ref-uww_24-0>
http://facstaff.uww.edu/travisd/pdf/jetcontrailsrecentresearch.pdf

26. ^ <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albedo#cite_ref-harvard_25-0>
<http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1992JGR....9714565C> "The Kuwait oil fires as
seen by Landsat".  Adsabs.harvard.edu. 1991-05-30.
http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1992JGR....9714565C. Retrieved 2011-08-19.

===========================

So I might encourage other people to waste their time, I welcome any
suggestions for an Acronym for this phenomenon of increased cloud formation,
decreased temperatures, and lowered solar insolation downwind of wind
turbine farms. 

 

The "winner" [ or perhaps "loser" depending on your point of view, or anyone
that wants it for some unknown reason]  will receive a pdf copy of my 1982,
but still timely, LOBA [Loss of Blade Accident] Satire and the hilarious
Letters-to-the-Editor responses from people who didn't understand a Satire
when they read it. 

 

Stewart Farber, MSPH

Farber Medical Solutions, LLC

Bridgeport, CT 06606

email: SAFarber at optonline.net

203-441-8433