Deploy Offshore Wind Turbines
Scientific Reports
Grades9, 10, 11, 12, APEarth and Space Sciences, Engineering
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Provided by Project Drawdown
What it is
- In this report from Project Drawdown, students will read about the highly recommended climate solution of adding more offshore wind turbines to the power grid.
- The interactive report details the solution's current implementation, efficacy, benefits, costs, drawbacks, and provides a global map of current locations, wind speeds, and possible locations for fixed or floating turbines.
Teaching tips
Positives
- The report includes multiple sections to explore this topic further, but these sections are collapsible to ensure students will not be overwhelmed by large blocks of text.
- The interactive maps and eye-catching charts keep students engaged in exploring the data.
Prerequisites
- Students should understand climate change and the difference between fossil fuels and clean energy.
- Teachers may need to provide students with definitions for some of the terms, such as mixed-grid.
Differentiation & Implementation
- Students can use the Additional Benefits section to identify some of the Sustainable Development Goals that this solution addresses.
- Citing information in the report, including items from the Take Action section, students can write letters to influential community members or policymakers, or write public service announcements to inform others how they can contribute to this solution.
- Students can compare this solution with others linked in the report or explore this resource to compare the solution to others or find a solution that interests them.
- As homework, teachers can assign episodes from this podcast series for students to discuss different perspectives about offshore wind, using their background knowledge from this report to inform the discussion.
From the scientist review
This resource is a thorough primer on offshore wind development as a means to reduce carbon emissions. All key terms are clearly defined and the text is exceptionally well-sourced, with many peer-reviewed sources cited. An honest discussion of tradeoffs and an extensive list of action points are also included. This resource is recommended for teaching.
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