Methodology for Assessing the Environmental Impact of Wind Energy Facilities

Abstract

The article presents a methodology for expert assessment of renewable energy facilities, in particular wind power plants (WPPs), on the environment. To assess the possible environmental impact of wind power facilities, an algorithm for solving this problem is proposed, based on the method of evaluating the ranks of expert judgments for the selection of experts and the method of analyzing hierarchies for determining the significance of the impact of WPPs on individual components of the environment. Experts assess the impact of environmental factors during the construction of wind power plants (WPPs) on the environment. The key environmental impacts of wind power facilities are analyzed and categorized into the following factors: air and water quality, geological conditions and soil integrity, biodiversity, public health, and the socio-economic dynamics of the region. The proposed methodology for expert assessment of the impact of wind power plants (WPPs) on environmental components has been practically tested. The results of the study show that in this region, the most significant environmental impact of wind farms is on the birdlife, 33.7%. A moderate negative impact is the impact on public health, 22.2%, on the geological environment of the territory and soil, 22.2%. A minor negative impact is the impact on air quality (10.0%), surface and groundwater quality (6.7%), and the socio-economic situation in the region (4.7%).