Naked Science Forum

General Science => General Science => Topic started by: don kingsley on 22/10/2008 08:46:57

Title: Will using wind energy affect the Earth's rotation?
Post by: don kingsley on 22/10/2008 08:46:57

don kingsley  asked the Naked Scientists:

Will the widespread adoption of wind energy have any effect on the
length of the day (rotation speed of the earth) and if so, would it be
measurable?

What do you think?

Title: Will using wind energy affect the Earth's rotation?
Post by: lyner on 25/10/2008 14:40:40

The effect of a few thousand turbines pails into insignificance when compared with the variation in vegetation heights all over the globe. Countless millions of plants are continually falling over, being chopped down and growing again.
Having said that, the overall effect of the state of the Atmosphere will be absolutely minuscule when compared with the rotational energy of the Earth as a whole.
The motion of the Sea is thought to be having an effect, due to tidal drag. It is slowly changing our rotation period and altering the orbit of the Moon, too.