A new study, which finds that onshore wind farms are capable of offsetting the carbon emissions generated across their entire lifespan within two years, “underscores the environmental efficiency of onshore wind farms and their important role in the energy transition”.

According to a new study from the Sustainable Energy Systems research group at the Wellington Faculty of Engineering, Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, an onshore wind farm is capable of offsetting the carbon emissions generated across its entire 30-year lifespan within two years when compared to thermal power plants.

Additionally, the study found that within six months a turbine can generate all the energy consumed across its life cycle.

For its research, the team studied the Harapaki onshore wind farm in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand, which comprises 41 turbines. They reviewed current literature on wind farms, as well as using real construction data of the Harapaki wind farm, which took into account...