Peatlands and Windfarms: Conflicting Carbon Targets and Environmental Impacts

A combination of landform and climate suitable for both blanket mire formation and windfarm construction means that many windfarms have been, and continue to be, constructed on peat soils. Renewable energy sources are increasingly being adopted in order to reduce carbon emissions. Meanwhile peatlands are becoming increasingly recognised globally as some of the most carbon-rich of all terrestrial habitats. When a windfarm is constructed on peat it is inevitable that some of the carbon stored in the peat will be lost through oxidation of the peat. The main source of such disturbance is the network of access roads built for construction and maintenance. The most recent research suggests that potential carbon losses resulting from windfarm construction within a natural peat bog mean that there may be no net carbon benefit from the windfarm.