THeBlueCashew

QuoteAfter analyzing data from more than 1,000 weather stations around the world, a team of researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences found that 67 percent had witnessed an extensive decrease in wind power potential over the course of nearly 40 years. The team — which also induced a researcher from Purdue University — reached their findings after examining the changes of wind surface speeds from 1979 to 2016.



"The results show that surface wind speeds were decreasing in the past four decades over most regions in the Northern Hemisphere," the study's authors wrote, according to a Greentech Media report on Wednesday.



Around 30 percent of locations in North America have witnessed a 30 percent drop or more in available hub-height wind power. Sites in Europe were worse, where about 40 percent experienced a similar decline. However, the effect was the most significant in Asia, where around 80 percent of sites on the continent saw a 30 percent drop in wind.



t's not immediately clear what is behind the decline of wind across the Northern Hemisphere. Dr. Gang Huang, a corresponding author of the research, revealed to Greentech Media that they are currently performing a follow-up study to help determine possible causes.



Huang surmised that surface cover changes — such as the fast expansion of cities in developing countries — could possibly be affecting wind speeds, but maintained that it's just an assumption. Increases in carbon dioxide emissions have also been predicted to decrease wind power.



Another cause could be the expansion of wind energy technology itself. A study published in November found that wind farms upwind from other turbines reduced their electricity generation. This "wake effect," the study found, reduces wind speed and affects turbines downwind from their direction. The research team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences did find that the most dramatic decreases in wind power in China tended to occur "where a number of gigantic commercial wind farms were built."



It's not immediately clear what is behind the decline of wind across the Northern Hemisphere. Dr. Gang Huang, a corresponding author of the research, revealed to Greentech Media that they are currently performing a follow-up study to help determine possible causes.



Huang surmised that surface cover changes — such as the fast expansion of cities in developing countries — could possibly be affecting wind speeds, but maintained that it's just an assumption. Increases in carbon dioxide emissions have also been predicted to decrease wind power.



Another cause could be the expansion of wind energy technology itself. A study published in November found that wind farms upwind from other turbines reduced their electricity generation. This "wake effect," the study found, reduces wind speed and affects turbines downwind from their direction. The research team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences did find that the most dramatic decreases in wind power in China tended to occur "where a number of gigantic commercial wind farms were built."



The Trump administration has been a major backer of wind energy development. The Interior Department announced a $405 million offshore wind auction that shattered all previous records.

Quote from: "Herman"

Quote from: "Berry Sweet"(//%3C/s%3E%3CURL%20url=%22https://media.giphy.com/media/eFGAHIcJvPi8g/giphy.gif%22%3Ehttps://media.giphy.com/media/eFGAHIcJvPi8g/giphy.gif%3C/URL%3E%3Ce%3E)

Hey kid, where did you get the picture of old Joe from 1977?