Wind farms accused of stealing wind from each other

It is possible to steal many things, from money to physical goods and even intellectual property. However, nowadays, the scale of theft is such that it is even possible to steal wind. And that is exactly what is happening with these wind farms.

Everyone agrees on one point: air belongs to no one. Since that is the case, no one should have the right to steal air either. Yet, it seems that this is indeed happening. The issue is more akin to a neighborhood dispute than actual theft. Currently, the development of renewable energy sources is booming in Europe, with wind energy being one of the most utilized. As a result, many energy developers have started constructing offshore wind farms. This is where the story of wind theft comes into play.

The theft occurs when an offshore wind farm reduces the wind speed reaching neighboring farms simply because it is positioned higher in the direction of the prevailing wind. When the turbines of a wind farm capture wind energy, they create a wake that slows down the wind beyond the farm. This wake can extend over 100 kilometers for large and densely packed offshore wind farms. Consequently, the affected wind farms that have their wind “stolen” produce less energy than expected, sometimes resulting in losses exceeding 10%.

While the concept of wind theft may seem amusing, it is a very serious issue, as a 10% loss is significant in an energy system increasingly reliant on renewable sources.

Additionally, an artificial intelligence has designed a wind turbine that is seven times more efficient.