A review of CO₂ emission reductions due to wind turbines using energy benchmarks: A focus on the Irish electrical energy market

The installed capacity of wind turbines in Ireland increased from a value of 2,250 MW in 2014 to 3,318 MW in 2017, a 43% increase in the four years, supported through climate mitigation policies. The main aim of this study is to determine if the increase in wind turbine installed capacity is impacting on efforts to reduce CO₂ emissions. The study utilises a review methodology. The findings show that the steady rise in wind turbine installed capacity year-on-year is not reflected in the Irish CO₂ g/kWh energy benchmark. The benchmark value was 457 g CO2/kWh in 2014 and 437 g CO₂/kWh in 2017, an improvement of just 5%. There is no consistent correlation between the increase in wind turbine capacity and a reduction in CO₂ emissions. Future research into the quality of the wind turbine power output is recommended, in particular, the variability aspect in the power output signal.