A green paradox: Deforesting the Amazon for wind energy
Balsa wood is used in Europe, and also more intensively in China, as a component in the construction of the blades of wind turbines. Already-installed wind turbines, with blades that stretch to 80 metres, can cover an area of approximately 21,000 square metres, which is equivalent to about three football pitches. More recent wind turbine designs can incorporate blades that are up to 100-metres long that consume about 150 cubic metres of balsa wood each – equivalent to several tonnes – according to calculations attributed to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
In 2018, international
demand for balsa wood increased significantly. The tropical wood is flexible
and yet hard, while also being both light and resilient. Ecuador, which is the
main exporter of balsa, with
about 75% of the global market, is home to several large exporters, such
as Plantabal
S.A. in Guayaquil, which dedicates up to 10,000 hectares to growing
the wood for export….
This
obscure energy treaty is the greatest threat to the planet you’ve never heard
of
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Restoring forests could capture two-thirds
of the carbon humans have added to the atmosphere
From Siberia to Australia: the age of fire is the bleakest warning yet
The Amazon is burning. The climate is changing. And
we're doing nothing to stop it
