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Expert warns of energy sprawl
28/08/09
The impact that new energy projects - such as wind farms - have on undeveloped land needs to be considered by developers, according to a Nature Conservancy scientist.Speaking to the Cool Green Science blog, Rob McDonald explained that the term "energy sprawl" refers to the amount of space - usually undeveloped or open land - required to produce renewable energy.
He noted that in the United States, some 67 million acres of land are due to be developed as part of renewable energy projects by 2030.
But as wildlife and natural habitats are impacted by these projects, it is essential that developers take a balanced approach to planning them, Mr. McDonald added.
One way to do this is to encourage home owners to maximise the energy efficiency of their existing properties.
"Saving energy saves land by avoiding energy development," he said.
The Nature Conservancy works in more than 50 countries. Founded in 1951, the group claims to have protected more than 119 million acres of land to date.
