Wind turbines help plants grow better

A study by Iowa State University scientists showed that wind turbines commonly used in the state's clean energy supply system have a positive side effect on crops.

Gene Takle, a professor of agronomy, geological and atmospheric science, says wind turbines spread across the field creating air circulation that affects temperature and carbon dioxide levels that can help plants grow. better.

Takle and his team installed 200 wind turbines on a farm between Radcliffe and Colo. These wind turbines collect data from 2010 to 2013 on wind speed, wind direction, temperature, humidity, volatility, gas content and rainfall.

The project aims to find fluctuations created when wind moves through turbines affecting the ground, where plants grow.

Wind turbine on a field.

Data from the research team show that wind turbines have a number of important factors affecting plant growth conditions.

It is very unlikely that they will cause yield loss although there are some impacts on the growth of the plant. In fact, wind turbines can create favorable conditions for growing corn and soybeans.

In the group's opinion, turbines can change temperatures in an area, fluctuated by wind turbines leading to reduced daytime temperatures and warmer at night.

The propellers changed the air flow in the field.

The cause of this phenomenon is due to air fluctuations at different heights caused by turbine blades. The fluctuation cooled the ground during the day, like a fan blowing into the surface. But at night, when the ground decreases heat, the mix brings warm air up high to the ground, causing the ground to warm up.

These air fluctuations also dry, reduce the humidity of crops, can fight harmful mold and fungi. It can also increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the air around plants, which can make plants grow better.

Plants seem to grow better thanks to wind turbines.

Takle said, it has set up a system to determine how wind turbines affect factors affecting development conditions in a field. The answer seems to be yes, but he said, finding changes that actually improve crop yields is a huge challenge.

Further research will be the answer to how air changes caused by these wind turbines will change the biomass uptake of plants, affect crop size or crop functions or productivity. Come on. However, it is much more difficult to find the answer because many other factors in the field, such as soil quality or rain.