Matter of Site

Introduction

Erecting solar and wind energy plants in sunniest and windiest regions may not always benefit the environment most. A study on solar and wind energy plants in the US shows that most of such projects are being built in the southwestern plains and deserts, which are not the most socially and environmentally beneficial sites. It shows building solar or wind farms in eastern and Midwestern states such as Indiana and Pennsylvania, which currently rely heavily on burning coal for electricity, provides far more societal benefits than building similar plants in the US southwest that currently uses cleaner gas-fired plants.

Source

Down To Earth, July 2013