Wind Farms Reduce Carbon Pollution By 36 Million Tonnes Says Study

A study by academics at Edinburgh University published on Monday shows that wind farms have played a key role in lowering greenhouse gas emissions from other sources of power generation in Britain.

Commenting on the findings, WWF Scotland director Lang Banks said:

“It’s great to finally have an independent and authoritative study that puts a more accurate figure on the massive amounts of climate-damaging carbon emissions being avoided thanks to wind power.

We’ve long known that wind power and other renewables were making a major contribution to reducing carbon pollution

“We’ve long known that wind power and other renewables were making a major contribution to reducing carbon pollution, but it’s fantastic to learn more clearly just how huge that contribution is.

“The figures in the study highlight just one example of the many benefits that have come from shifting our electricity system to a clean renewable one. However, with electricity generation accounting for less than a quarter of our climate change emissions, it’s now time to begin to reap the same benefits by increasing the use of renewables in our heat and transport sectors.

“In Scotland, Ministers need to build upon the massive progress that has come from setting a target for renewable electricity, by setting a 50 per cent renewables target for all our energy needs by 2030. Independent research has shown that such a target is not only needed, but that it is achievable.”