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Apr 05, 2025

Wind farm developers are worried about neighbours stealing their wind | New Scientist

Wakes from offshore wind farms can reduce the power generated by neighbouring farms – an issue that is growing more prevalent as turbines get bigger and more numerous By Madeleine Cuff 4 April 2025

Wakes from offshore wind farms can reduce the power generated by neighbouring farms – an issue that is growing more prevalent as turbines get bigger and more numerous

By Madeleine Cuff

4 April 2025

Turbines extract energy from wind, slowing down the wind in their wake

Chris James / Alamy

Imagine you have just built yourself a lovely new house with an unobstructed view of some nearby mountains. But, within months, someone else starts building a home right in front of yours, blocking your view. A neighbourhood dispute looks inevitable.

A similar scenario is playing out across northern Europe with the rapid development of new offshore wind farms. As the seabed becomes increasingly crowded with new turbines, developers are becoming concerned that new wind farms could “steal” wind from existing sites.

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