Support for BC’s environmental/sustainability strategy

The use of wood for turbine towers rather than steel or concrete offers significant savings in terms of carbon emissions. An independent review by FPInnovations of 22 comparative Life Cycle Analysis studies concluded that every ton of wood building products used sequesters 1.8 tons of CO2 and displaces other materials that would, on average, have released an additional 3.9 tons of CO2 (O’Connor, 2009). As a result, constructing a 200-ton turbine tower out of wood will prevent more than 1,100 tons of greenhouse gases from being released. Steel and concrete towers significantly erode the environmental benefits of wind energy production, while wooden towers greatly enhance them.