Oil Wells vs. Wind Turbines

Written by Dr. Matthew Wielicki on January 31, 2024. Posted in Current News

The transition to ‘renewable’ energy sources is highlighted as the primary component of global efforts to combat ‘climate change’ by the IPCC.

One essential part of this transition involves replacing traditional energy sources like oil with ‘renewable’ alternatives like wind energy.

However, this is not a simple conversion, as oil wells and wind turbines generate energy in fundamentally different ways and with varying efficiencies.

In this analysis, I compare the energy output of an average onshore oil well to that of modern wind turbines, making certain assumptions to facilitate a direct comparison.

Assumptions

1. Oil Well Production: Let’s consider an average onshore oil well producing 2,000 barrels per day.
2. Oil Energy Equivalent: Each barrel of oil contains approximately 5.8 million British Thermal Units (Btu) of energy.
3. Wind Turbine Capacity: Let’s focus on a modern onshore wind turbine with a capacity of 5 megawatts (MW).
4. Capacity Factor for Wind Turbines: A 40 percent capacity factor is assumed, accounting for variables like wind speed and downtime.
5. Space Requirements: We estimate the land area needed for both oil wells and wind turbines, assuming typical installation footprints.

Calculations

1. Daily Energy Output of an Oil Well: The daily energy production of the oil well is 12 billion Btu, calculated by multiplying the daily oil production with the energy content per barrel (2,000 barrels/day * 5.8 million Btu/barrel).
2. Daily Energy Output of a Wind Turbine: A 5 MW wind turbine operating at a 40 percent capacity factor generates about 48 MWh per day. Converting this to Btu (using 1 MWh = 3.4 million Btu), we get approximately 163.7 million Btu/day.
3. Number of Turbines Required: To match the energy output of the oil well, approximately 73 wind turbines are required (12 billion Btu/day divided by 163.7 million Btu/day/turbine).

The spatial footprint of energy sources, which is partially dependent on their energy density, is a crucial factor in their deployment. However, when it comes to wind and solar such considerations appear to go out the window in the furious efforts to ‘save the planet’.

Let’s assume an average oil well occupies a relatively small area, say 1 acre, including ancillary equipment and infrastructure. In contrast, a wind turbine requires more space to avoid turbulence and interference from adjacent turbines.

A conservative estimate might be 5 acres per turbine, including the turbine base, access roads, and safety clearances.

Given these assumptions, the total area needed for 73 wind turbines would be 365 acres (73 turbines * 5 acres/turbine), compared to 1 acre for an oil well, or 365 times more land.

This comparison highlights the significantly larger land footprint required for wind energy to produce the same amount of energy as an oil well.

While the overall land footprint for wind energy is significant, it’s also important to consider the actual physical space occupied by the structures themselves. The base of a typical modern wind turbine, assumed to be circular with a diameter of 20 feet, occupies about 314 square feet (sqft).

In contrast, an oil well pad, including a drilling area and equipment, with a diameter of 50 feet, covers approximately 1,963 sqft.

Thus, for 73 wind turbines, the combined area of actual physical space occupied by the structures would total around 22,922 sqft as opposed to 1,963 sqft for the oil well, or 12 times more land.

Replacing traditional oil wells with wind turbines reveals a striking disparity in land use, underscoring a critical challenge in the ‘green’ energy transition championed by entities like the IPCC.

While the push towards ‘renewable’ energy is often framed as environmentally ‘sustainable’, it is important to scrutinize the practical implications of such a shift.

The requirement of 365 acres for wind turbines to match the energy output of a single acre oil well – an 365-fold increase in land use – challenges the feasibility and environmental prudence of this transition.

Even when considering only the physical footprint of the structures, wind turbines require 12 times more space than an oil well.

The extensive land area required for wind energy not only poses significant challenges for species and habitat loss but also raises concerns about land use efficiency.

Is this really the way to ‘save the planet’?

See more here substack.com

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