Paradox of 'green energy'…wind and solar power increase, biodiversity of birds decreases 충남대학교 전성수 교수팀, 세계 최초 100% 재생에너지 사용 국가 사례 분석 Research team led by Professor Seong-soo Cheon at Chungnam National University, world's first analysis of case of 100% renewable energy usage country 재생에너지가 기후변화 대응과 친환경을 위한 대안으로 주목받지만, 생태계와 환경에 악영향을 끼칠 수 있다는 연구 결과가 나왔다. Renewable energy has been attracting attention as an alternative for responding to climate change and being eco-friendly, but research results have shown that it can have a negative impact on ecosystems and the environment. 대부분의 연구는 풍력이나 태양광 발전소 설치로 인해 해당 지역의 조류 다양성이 감소한다는 내용을 담고 있다. Most studies have shown that the installation of wind or solar power generation plants reduces the bird diversity in the area. 그러나 재생에너지 관련 정책과 연구는 대부분 개별 설치 사례 중심으로 진행돼 왔다. However, most renewable energy-related policies and research have focused on individual installation cases. 이에 전성수 충남대학교 교수팀은 세계 최초로 100% 재생에너지 사용 국가인 네덜란드와 독일의 사례를 분석했다. Therefore, the research team led by Professor Seong-soo Cheon at Chungnam National University analyzed the cases of the Netherlands and Germany, which are the world's first countries to use 100% renewable energy. 분석 결과, 네덜란드와 독일에서 태양광 발전설비가 집중적으로 설치된 지역은 조류 다양성이 감소한 것으로 나타났다. As a result of the analysis, it was found that in the Netherlands and Germany, areas where solar power generation facilities were intensively installed showed a decrease in bird diversity. 반면 풍력 발전설비는 설치 밀도와 조류 다양성 감소 사이에 명확한 상관관계가 발견되지 않았다. On the other hand, no clear correlation was found between the installation density of wind power generation facilities and the decrease in bird diversity. 연구진은 태양광 발전설비의 경우, 설치 면적이 넓은 만큼 다양한 서식지가 파괴되는 면적이 넓어지고, The research team explained that in the case of solar power generation facilities, the larger the installation area, the larger the area of diverse habitats that are destroyed, 이에 따라 다양한 새들의 서식지가 파괴돼 조류 다양성이 감소하는 것으로 추정된다고 밝혔다. and accordingly, it is presumed that the habitats of various birds are destroyed, leading to a decrease in bird diversity. 전성수 교수는 "재생에너지 확대 정책이 환경과 생태계를 파괴하는 역설적인 결과를 가져올 수 있다"며 Professor Seong-soo Cheon said, "Policies to expand renewable energy can lead to paradoxical results that destroy the environment and ecosystem." "향후 재생에너지 관련 정책에는 환경과 생태계 영향에 대한 고려가 반드시 수반돼야 한다"고 말했다. "Going forward, renewable energy-related policies must be accompanied by consideration of the impact on the environment and ecosystem," he said. 이번 연구 결과는 국제 학술지 '환경 과학 및 기술'에 지난달 15일자로 게재됐다. The results of this study were published on the 15th of last month in the international academic journal 'Environmental Science & Technology'.
A recent study reveals that a global push for solar energy expansion could potentially harm biodiversity, specifically the diversity of bird species. Researchers from China and Vietnam analyzed data from over 2,300 Chinese observation stations and solar energy policies to find that as solar energy incentives grew stronger, so did the decline in bird diversity.
Published in the scientific journal "Science" on May 21, the study found that solar power expansion has had a significant impact in complex non-desert regions and economically prosperous areas, particularly affecting bird species with wide distributions.
The study highlights the "inferior greening" phenomenon, where visually lush green spaces increase due to solar panel installations, but lack the ecological value of diverse plant life. This change in land use may lead to a decline in bird populations that rely on diverse ecosystems. While some argue that solar panel installations can provide shaded habitats for birds, the research suggests potential downsides, such as the destruction of natural landscapes and fragmentation of bird habitats.
Experts emphasize the importance of careful spatial planning and strict ecological protection measures when expanding solar energy installations. A strong recommendation is to strategically centralize large-scale solar panel sites in arid and semi-arid regions, particularly in China's northern desert regions. The findings have significant implications for countries like South Korea, where wind turbines have raised similar concerns about bird migration routes.
Overall, the research underscores the need for a holistic approach to renewable energy planning that balances energy production with the preservation of biological diversity.
Written by urgent.news from Hankyoreh's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
