According to recent data, wind power isn't cleaning up as much pollution as it could, particularly in low-income and communities of color. The wind energy boom in the US has already generated health advantages worth billions of dollars. According to a study that was just published in the journal Science Advances, however, the majority of it hasn't made its way into the areas that have historically seen the highest levels of air pollution. 

Fortunately, if future wind energy projects are implemented more strategically, things might change. The 'health benefits' in this study are actually vital to survival. They essentially assigned a monetary value to the lives saved by improving air quality. In this instance, they calculated that by 2014, wind energy would have generated $2 billion in health benefits as a result of criteria for renewable electricity enacted by numerous states. 

And even while the US has made headway in cleaning up its air since the Clean Air Act of 1970, there is still more work to be done. About 40% of Americans, or more than 137 million people, reside in areas with inadequate air quality ratings from the American Lung Association. The Environmental Protection Agency provided funding for a portion of the new study that was just released today. 

It focuses on ground-level ozone and particle emissions from electricity generation in the US between 2011 and 2017. New wind farms were able to reduce air quality differences in some areas at that time. But the increase in wind energy also contributed to wider inequities in pollution in other areas. 

That might be the case, for instance, if investments in renewable energy continue to be concentrated in areas with a higher proportion of white, wealthy population and areas with generally good air quality.

According to the research, wind farms must purposefully take the place of coal and gas power facilities in order to reap the highest health benefits. According to the research, wind farms must purposefully take the place of coal and gas power facilities in order to reap the highest health benefits. And while implementing new renewable energy projects, such communities need to have in mind in order to clean up the most polluted areas, particularly those with more residents of colour and low-income households. 

As the Biden administration strives to meet its renewable energy goals, it is important to bear in mind. According to Qiu, 'one takeaway from our work is that it takes a lot more effort in some sense to genuinely realise those kinds of environmental justice goals given forth by the current administration.' According to the research, wind farms must purposefully take the place of coal and gas power facilities in order to reap the highest health benefits. 

And while implementing new renewable energy projects, such communities need to have in mind in order to clean up the most polluted areas, particularly those with more residents of colour and low-income households.