Wind farms cause global warming, 9 year study published in Nature Climate Change, turbine rotors the cause

4/30/12, "Wind farms linked to temperature increase," ABC Brisbane, Australia

"Writing in the journal Nature Climate Change, Professor Zhou and colleagues reported a temperature increase of up to 0.72 degrees Celsius per decade at wind farm locations, compared to nearby areas.

They also found the affect to be greater at night than during the day.

The study could help researchers better understand the impact of wind farms on local environments.

After discounting the impact of surface features such as vegetation, roads, light reflection and surface structures, the researchers concluded that the temperature change was caused by air turbulence generated by the turbines' giant rotor blades.

"Turbine rotors were modifying surface-atmosphere exchanges and the transfer of energy, momentum, mass and moisture within the atmosphere," they wrote.

The findings are based on nine years of satellite data covering an area of central western Texas, where some of the world's largest wind farms are located.

The results match modelling studies showing wind farms can significantly affect local scale meteorology by increasing surface roughness, changing the stability of the atmospheric boundary layer, and enhancing turbulence in the wake generated by rotor blades."

=====================

4/29/12, "Wind Farms Warming Texas," Discovery.com, Eric Niller

"Turbines mix air at night and could affect local climate and farming."

via TomNelson