Wind farming

Wind farming is the process of generating electricity from wind energy. It involves using wind turbines to convert the wind’s kinetic energy into electrical energy. Wind farming shows the potential to provide financial opportunities to local rural communities, reducing poverty risks and improving living standards. However, wind farm development can face opposition from local communities, creating conflicts and challenges for the planning system. Some of the main concerns of local communities regarding wind farms include health concerns, aesthetic value, economic impacts, wildlife impacts, and land use impacts. ASEAN countries have implemented policies and regulations to promote wind farm development, including the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation, the ASEAN Declaration on Renewable Energy, feed-in tariff schemes, and renewable energy targets. ASEAN countries balance the need for renewable energy with the concerns of local communities through public education, proper site selection and design, community engagement, incentives and policies, and environmental impact assessments.

 

Wind farms

Wind farms are a type of renewable energy system that harnesses the power of wind to generate electricity. They consist of multiple wind turbines strategically placed in areas with high wind speeds, such as offshore or on hilltops. There are different types of wind turbines, including horizontal-axis wind turbines (HAWTs) and vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWTs). HAWTs are the most common type of wind turbine with blades rotating around a horizontal axis. VAWTs have blades that rotate around a vertical axis and are less common.

Image source: ArborWind (retrieved from: insights.globalspec.com)

How do wind farms contribute to reducing carbon emissions?

• Clean and renewable energy: Wind farms generate electricity without producing greenhouse gas emissions or other pollutants, making them a clean and renewable source of energy [1]
• Reduced dependence on fossil fuels: Wind energy can reduce dependence on finite fossil fuels, which can have negative environmental impacts [1]
• Carbon trading: Wind farms can participate in carbon trading schemes, allowing companies to buy and sell carbon credits to meet emissions targets. Wind farms can earn carbon credits by reducing their carbon emissions and selling them to companies that need to offset their emissions [2]

What is the current status of wind energy in ASEAN countries?

According to a study [3], ASEAN countries expect rapid growth in energy demand, and variable renewable energy such as solar and wind have high potential in the region. ASEAN aims to increase the renewable energy share in power capacity to 35% by 2025. The study suggests that adopting electric vehicles can bridge the link between the energy and vehicle sectors towards a green transformation. Electric vehicles powered by electricity from renewable sources create demand by consuming energy from the grid. Still, they can also serve as battery storage that can discharge energy back to the grid if needed. The study also suggests that microgrids can be designed and incorporated with electric vehicles and variable renewable energy deployments to enhance the reliability and stability of the power system.

 

Another study [4] overviews sustainable energy options in East Asia, including ASEAN countries. The study highlights the rapid and continuing price reductions in photovoltaics (PV) and wind energy that have seen renewables become the majority of new generation capacity installed in recent years. The study suggests that a threefold increase in the 2015 deployment rate of PV and wind alone could make current world electricity production completely renewable by 2035.

 

 

Which ASEAN countries have the highest potential for wind energy?

• Thailand: Thailand has a high potential for wind energy due to its long coastline and hilly terrain. The country has set a target to increase the share of renewable energy in its power mix to 30% by 2036, and wind energy is expected to play a significant role in achieving this goal [5]
• Vietnam: Vietnam has a long coastline and high wind speeds in some areas, making it a suitable location for wind farms. The country has set a target to increase the share of renewable energy in its power mix to 18.5% (14.5% on-shore and 4% off-shore) based on the Prime Ministerial Decision No. 500/QD-TTg, dated May 15, 2023, the National Electricity Development Plan for the 2021-2030 period with a vision to 2050. [6]
• Indonesia: Indonesia has an enormous potential for wind energy, particularly in the eastern part of the country. The government has set a target to increase the share of renewable energy in its power mix to 23% by 2025, and wind energy is expected to play a role in achieving this target [7]
• Philippines: The Philippines has a long coastline and high wind speeds in some areas, making it a suitable location for wind farms. The country has set a target to increase the share of renewable energy in its power mix to 35% by 2030, and wind energy is expected to contribute to this target [8]

 

What are the main arguments against wind farm development in ASEAN countries?

• Health concerns: Some local communities in ASEAN countries have expressed concerns about the potential health impacts of wind turbines, mainly related to low-frequency noise generated by the turbine [3, 5] 
• Aesthetic value: Wind turbines can be visible from a distance, which may affect the aesthetic value of the landscape. [5, 9]
• Economic impacts: Wind farms can have positive and negative economic impacts on local communities, such as reduced property values or loss of tourism revenue. [5, 10]
• Wildlife impacts: Wind farms can have an impact on wildlife habitats and migration patterns [5]
• Land use impacts: Wind farms require significant land for installation, impacting local land use patterns such as agricultural or recreational land use. [5]
• Reliability and stability of the power system: Wind energy is an intermittent power source, which can lead to power instability and affect the reliability of the power system. [3]

 

How do ASEAN countries address the concerns related to wind farm development?

• Public education campaigns: Some ASEAN countries are addressing health concerns related to wind turbines by providing public education campaigns on the potential health impacts of wind turbines, mainly related to low-frequency noise generated by the turbines. [5]
• Proper site selection and design: Proper site selection and design can help minimize wind turbines’ visual and acoustic impacts on residents. Some ASEAN countries are addressing this concern by implementing regulations and guidelines for wind farm development that emphasize proper site selection and design [11]
• Community engagement: Some ASEAN countries engage with local communities and stakeholders to address concerns and gain better insight into the potential impacts of wind farms in the local context [10]
• Incentives and policies: ASEAN countries have implemented incentives and policies to promote renewable energy development, including wind energy. For example, some ASEAN countries have implemented feed-in tariff (FIT) schemes to provide financial incentives for renewable energy producers, which can help make wind energy more competitive with traditional sources of energy [12, 13]
• Environmental impact assessments: Some ASEAN countries require environmental impact assessments (EIAs) for wind farm development to assess the potential impacts of wind farms on the environment and local communities. This can help address concerns related to wildlife impacts and land use impacts [5, 11]

 

What policies and regulations are in place to promote wind farm development in ASEAN countries?

• ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) 2016-2025: This plan aims to promote the development of renewable energy, including wind energy, in ASEAN countries. The plan includes targets for increasing the share of renewable energy in the power mix of ASEAN countries [11]
• Joint Declaration of the 41st ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting on Sustainable Energy Security through Interconnectivity (24 August 2023): This declaration aims to promote the development of renewable energy, including wind energy, in ASEAN countries. [14]
• Feed-in tariff (FIT) schemes: Some ASEAN countries have implemented FIT schemes to promote renewable energy development, including wind energy. FIT schemes provide financial incentives for renewable energy producers, which can help make wind energy more competitive with traditional sources of energy [5]
• Renewable energy targets: ASEAN countries have set targets to increase the share of renewable energy in their power mix, and wind energy is expected to play a significant role in achieving these targets. These targets can help promote the development of wind farms in ASEAN countries [5, 11]

 

By: Hendra WINASTU, SOLEN Principal Associate – IPC panel coordinator

Edited by: Moe Thazin Shwe, SOLEN Research Associate – IPC panel member

Date: 09 November 2023

Article#: SOLEN-IPC-0027

Ref:

[1] Bi, X., Yang, J., & Yang, S. (2021). LCA-Based Regional Distribution and Transference of Carbon Emissions from Wind Farms in China. Energies.

[2] Wang, X., Wang, J., Tian, B., Cui, Y., & Zhao, Y. (2018). Economic Dispatch of the Low-Carbon Green Certificate with Wind Farms Based on Fuzzy Chance Constraints. Energies, 11, 943.

[3] Bong, C.P., Hashim, H., Ho, W.S., Muis, Z.A., Yunus, N.A., Demoral, A., Tirta, A., Rizki Kresnawan, M., Safrina, R., & Rosalia, S.A. (2022). Integration of Variable Renewable Energy, Electric Vehicle, and Smart Microgrid in ASEAN: A Focus Group Discussion Approach. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 997.

[4] Ruff, T.A. (2015). Introduction to the Special Issue: Nuclear Power in East Asia. Asian Perspective, 39, 555 – 558.

[5] Effendi, Y., & Resosudarmo, B.P. (2021). Development of renewable electricity in ASEAN countries: socio-economic and environmental impacts. Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science, 6, 247-266.

[6] https://vepg.vn/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/PM-Decision-500-approving-PDP-VIII_150523.pdf 

[7] Sutiah, S., & Supriyono, S. (2020). ENVIRONMENT, MIX ENERGIES, ASEAN ECONOMIES AND EDUCATION. International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy.

[8] Tizon, Z.A., Almendrala, M., & Evidente, R.C. (2022). HYDROGEN PRODUCTION VIA NUCLEAR-RENEWABLE HYBRID ENERGY SYSTEM: A FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR DECARBONIZATION IN ASEAN REGION. 22nd SGEM International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference Proceedings 2022, Energy and Clean Technologies, VOL 22, ISSUE 4.2.

[9] Lozornio, E.J., & Simões, A.F. (2022). Social, Environmental and Economic Externalities Related to the Implementation of Wind Energy Projects on the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. Journal of Management and Sustainability.

[10] Holder, J., & Lee, M. (2007). Environmental Protection, Law and Policy: Wind farm development and environmental conflicts.

[11] Fahim, K.E., De Silva, L.C., Hussain, F., Shezan, S.A., & Yassin, H. (2023). An Evaluation of ASEAN Renewable Energy Path to Carbon Neutrality. Sustainability.

[12] Özçam, Z. (2018). Wind Farm Conflict: Rural Areas and Wind Energy – The Karaburun Experience.

[13] Adedeji, P.A., Akinlabi, S.A., Madushele, N., & Olatunji, O.O. (2020). Latent Dynamics in Siting Onshore Wind Energy Farms: A Case of a Wind Farm in South Africa. ASME 2020 Power Conference.

[14] https://asean.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Joint-Declaration-of-the-41st-AMEM-on-Interconnectivity-Final-and-Adopted.pdf