How Large Wind Farms Can Reduce Hurricane Precipitation

A new study from the University of Delaware suggests that offshore wind power projects can help reduce hurricane precipitation, as well as hurricane winds and storm surges.  The study’s findings were derived by analyzing the nuances of Hurricane Harvey, which wreaked havoc mainly due to the record amount of rainfall the storm produced.

The Science of How Wind Farms Reduce Hurricane Precipitation

According to the University of Delaware study, the main factor that allows offshore wind farms to reduce hurricane precipitation is wind convergence and wind divergence.

Convergence refers to the upward, vertical movement of air, and divergence refers to the downward movement of air, which results in a drying out effect in terms of airborne moisture.  In a nutshell, drier air is sucked toward the turbines, absorbing moisture and suppressing precipitation.

The research team ran simulations of this effect, and they consistently saw a 30% reduction in hypothetical hurricane precipitation.  The conclusion is that more wind turbines would result in an overall weakening of storms, and subsequently, a lower average level of storm precipitation.

I find this very interesting.  Not only can wind energy theoretically help stem the tide of global warming, but now it could have a direct, positive influence on the severity of individual storms as well.  All of this is great news for utility emergency preparedness.

Of course, there is a bit of a gap between what it possible in this regard and what is practical, as there are not many offshore wind farms in the U.S., and the research findings were obviously modeled and not tested in the real world.  That said, the prospect of wind helping to reduce hurricane precipitation is intriguing, and I hope more research will follow to better understand the pros and cons of this.