Integrated assessment of wind energy's emission and meteorological effects on PM2.5 in Taiwan

Wind power is a key strategy for mitigating climate change and improving air quality by displacing fossil-fuel-based electricity generation. However, large wind farms can also modify local atmospheric conditions, raising questions about their combined effects on air quality. This study assesses both the indirect benefits from emission reductions and the direct meteorological impacts of wind energy deployment on PM₂.₅ concentrations in Taiwan. We employed a modeling framework that incorporates the Weather Research and Forecasting and Community Multiscale Air Quality models to simulate scenarios with and without wind farm installations. The approach accounts for emission displacement from fossil fuel power plants and wind turbines-induced effects, including turbulence and momentum drag, represented through a dedicated wind farm parameterization. Model performance is evaluated against surface observations and demonstrates high fidelity in reproducing key meteorological and pollutant variables. Results indicate that wind energy deployment can reduce regional PM₂.₅ concentrations by up to 15 %, primarily due to reduced emissions from displaced fossil fuel generation. At the same time, turbine-induced meteorological changes modulate pollutant dispersion. Enhanced daytime turbulence generally improves near-surface air quality, particularly in southern coastal regions. However, in central Taiwan, weakened nocturnal land breezes under stable autumn conditions lead to modest downwind PM₂.₅ accumulation, with increases ranging from 5 to 10 %. Wind farm size, seasonal circulation patterns, and coastal proximity influence these effects' magnitude and spatial extent. These findings underscore the dual effect of wind energy's influence on atmospheric composition. While emission reductions provide substantial air quality benefits, localized meteorological effects may introduce minor but regionally variable trade-offs. Our study highlights the importance of integrating emission and meteorological considerations into wind energy planning and provides a scientific foundation for policies that maximize environmental co-benefits while minimizing unintended impacts.