Which statement about wind energy is NOT true?

Which statement about wind energy is NOT true?

• A. It Produces No Emissions During Operation
• B. It Can Affect Wildlife
• C. It Has Negligible Land Use Compared With Other Energy Sources
• D. It Has Low Operating Costs

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is how land is used by wind energy projects. Even though the footprint of a single turbine is small, a wind farm requires laying out multiple turbines with spacing and access roads across a site. That means the total land area affected by the project is much larger than the turbine footprints, and this land isn’t truly “negligible.” Depending on turbine size and spacing, the land area allocated per megawatt of capacity can be substantial, and while the land between turbines can still be used for farming or other activities, the overall land use is not negligible. So the statement claiming negligible land use compared with other energy sources isn’t accurate. The other points—no emissions during operation, potential wildlife impacts, and low operating costs after installation—are consistent with how wind energy is typically described, though it’s useful to remember there can be lifecycle emissions from manufacturing and construction.

The main idea here is how land is used by wind energy projects. Even though the footprint of a single turbine is small, a wind farm requires laying out multiple turbines with spacing and access roads across a site. That means the total land area affected by the project is much larger than the turbine footprints, and this land isn’t truly “negligible.” Depending on turbine size and spacing, the land area allocated per megawatt of capacity can be substantial, and while the land between turbines can still be used for farming or other activities, the overall land use is not negligible. So the statement claiming negligible land use compared with other energy sources isn’t accurate. The other points—no emissions during operation, potential wildlife impacts, and low operating costs after installation—are consistent with how wind energy is typically described, though it’s useful to remember there can be lifecycle emissions from manufacturing and construction.