Wind Turbines Create Their Own Clouds [Energy]

Wind Turbines Create Their Own Clouds

It's hard to believe they noticed this one in England, but apparently wind turbine farms have the ability to create their own fog. The phenomenon has been observed by Mike Page, a retiree flying on board his Cessna 150:

The creation of the mist depends on the wind speed and the temperature of the sea and the air at the time.

The spinning blades whip moisture up into the air like giant egg mixers and sometimes these low cloud formations are made. A close up blade of one of the turbines shows a swirl of mist created around the blades as cooler air is mixed with warmer air. It definitely occurs several times a year, sometimes gathering upwind of the turbines and sometimes downwind depending on the conditions.

The strange thing is that you will see this mist around the turbines while it is a bright clear day on the beach just a couple of miles away.

It is a fascinating example of how wind farms create their own micro-climate. It is the same as any geographical feature affecting the weather.

According to Page, you can observe these fog banks on the farms even while beaches are completely clear a few feet away. [Daily Mail]

Send an email to Jesus Diaz, the author of this post, at jesus@gizmodo.com.

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