BBC Focus - 09.2019

GET T Y IMAGES, X 2, USGS, MICHAEL MILLER

Europe has enough untapped

windfarm capacity to meet

global energy needs

Ananalysisofallsuitablesitesforonshore

windfarmsacrossmainlandEuropesuggests

thatthecontinenthasthepotentialto

supplyenoughenergyforthewholeworld

until2050.

Thestudy,carriedoutbyresearchers

basedat theUniversityofSussexand

Denmark’sAarhusUniversityclaimsthat

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millionsquarekilometresofEuropecould

generate 497 exajoulesofenergy:enough

tocomfortablymeettheexpectedglobal

energydemandin2050.Turkey,Russiaand

Norwayhavethegreatestpotentialforfuture

windpower,theresearchersay.

“Ourstudysuggeststhatthehorizon

is brightfortheonshorewindsectorand

thatEuropeanaspirationsfora 100per

centrenewableenergygridarewithinour

collectivegrasptechnologically,”said

co-authorBenjaminSovacool,professorof

energypolicyat theUniversityofSussex.

“Obviously,wearenotsayingthatwe

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sitesbutthestudydoesshowthehugewind

powerpotentialrightacrossEuropewhich

needstobeharnessedif we’retoaverta

climatecatastrophe.”

Byanalysingdatafromdetailedglobal

windatlases,theteamwasabletoruleout

regionsthatwereunsuitableduetothe

proximityofhousesorroads,orrestricted

duetomilitaryorpoliticalreasons.Overall,

theydeterminedthataround 46 percent

ofEurope’sterritorywouldbesuitable

locationsforonshorewindfarms.

“Criticswillnodoubtarguethatthe

naturally intermittent supply of wind makes

onshorewindenergyunsuitabletomeet

theglobaldemand,”saidPeterEnevoldsen,

assistantprofessorintheCenterforEnergy

Technologiesat AarhusUniversity.“But

evenwithoutaccountingfordevelopments

inwindturbinetechnologyintheupcoming

decades,onshorewindpoweris the

cheapestmaturesourceofrenewableenergy,

andutilisingthedifferentwindregions

inEuropeis thekeytomeetthedemand

fora 100percentrenewableandfully

decarbonised energy system.”

Theinstallationofmorethan 10 millionadditional wind turbines could help

power the planet for the next three decades

MICROPLASTICSFOUNDIN

RAINWATERFALLINGON

THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS

Samplesofrainwatercollected

inColoradohavebeenfound

tocontaintracesofplastic

fibres,researchersattheUS

GeologicalSurveyhavefound.

Tinyfragmentscanbreako

frompracticallyanythingmade

ofplastic,whichthengetwashed

intoriversandlakes,enteringthe

watercycleandfallingaswater

droplets when it rains.

ARCTICCOULDSOON
BEICELESSEVERY
SEPTEMBER

If globaltemperaturesrisebyas
lile1.5°C,seaiceintheArctic
couldcompletelydisappear
throughSeptembereachsummer,
a studyattheUniversityof
Cincinnatihasfound.Computer-
basedclimatemodelspredicted
a 6 percentprobabilityofthe
seaicedisappearingaera 1.5°C
rise,butif theplanetwarmsby
2°C,thelikelihood climbs to 28
per cent.

RENEWABLE ENERGY

DISCOVERIES

VAPINGCANDAMAGEBLOODVESSELS

Smokingane-cigaree justoncecouldharmblood

vessels,evenif it doesn’tcontainnicotine,a study

attheUniversityofPennsylvaniahasfound.Ina

preliminarystudy, 31 participantstook 16 three-

secondpus ofa vapecontainingingredients

commonine-liquids,aswellastobaccoavouring.

MRIscanstakenbeforeandaerrevealeda 17.5per

centreductioninbloodowindicating damage to

the lining of blood vessels.