LAUSR

Ambient energy flows and sources in nature are sometimes thought of as being freely available for us to use, without limit. However, the reality is that energy flows in nature serve ecosystem functions, and extracting energy from these flow will have eco-impacts. In some cases they may be significant, in others energy extraction may not lead to measurable impacts, depending on the scale and extent of the extraction involved. For example, trees interact with the wind, slowing it, but it is hard to see wind turbines having anywhere as much impact on the wind unless we have truly vast numbers in place. By contrast, hydro dams have major impacts on river flows, essentially halting them, at least for a while, and this can have significant ecological effects down-stream. The full analysis of these impacts is complex, and has been explored in a new book by Dr Alexander Clarke, ‘Rethinking the Environmental Impacts of Renewable Energy: mitigation and management’. His focus is on what happens when natural flows are interruptedwhen we extract energy from them. He uses hydro as his main case study, since there is sufficient data on river energy flows and energy extraction impacts to test his model of interactions. But he applies it to the other ‘flow’ renewables – solar, wind, wave, and tidal, as well as biomass stocks, which are indirectly related to solar energy fluxes. In each case he looks in detail at the technical and environmental processes involved and their interactions and the consequent impacts of ecosystems, using changes to power flux densities as a guide. https://www.routledge.com/Rethinking-the-Environmental-Impacts-of-Renewable-Energy-Mitigation-and/Clarke/ p/book/9780415722186 His approach can help us to avoid, or limit, damaging interactions by careful siting and technology design, but it has limits. It looks at the physical interactions and the resultant impacts on ecosystems. However, this energy flow approach cannot identify specific wild life population impacts, or of course human perceptual reactions, for example, in relation to visual intrusion. That is one of the main topics looked at in another book, ‘The Renewable Energy Landscape’ produced by a group of US academics and environmental practitioners. It says that all environments change naturally over time and we cannot avoid that, but we can minimise our impacts, avoiding sensitive sites and limiting disturbance as far as possible. It looks at the situation in the USA, Canada, Australia, and the EU, focusing on wind onshore mainly, but also offshore wind and other renewables, including large scale solar, with many detailed case studies. You can ‘look inside’ at www.amazon.com/Renewable-Energy-Landscape-Preserv ing-Sustainable/dp/1138808989/ref = sr_1_1?ie = UTF8& qid = 1474584641&sr = 8-1&keywords = the + renewable + energy + landscape. Studies like this can help us develop renewables on an appropriate and sustainable basis.