This study presents both a physical and monetary evaluation of the key social and environmental impacts linked to the development of a 20 MW wind farm in Zawia, Libya. The analysis considers a range of externalities, including carbon footprint, water use, noise emissions, visual impacts, shadow and shadow flicker, land occupation, and potential electromagnetic interference. The project is planned on a 2 km² site and will incorporate 10 Gamesa G-114 wind turbines. Using the System Advisor Model (SAM) for energy yield estimation, the annual electricity generation reaches approximately 104, 240. 6 MWh. The project's initial capital cost is estimated at 39. 36 million. The conventional levelized cost of energy (LCoE), calculated without factoring in social or environmental externalities, stands at 86. 84/MWh. When externalities are monetized, they contribute an additional 7. 92/MWh, representing nearly one-third of the operation and maintenance expenses (25/MWh). If the evaluation internalizes only the carbon footprint, the LCoE decreases to 49. 43/MWh. Conversely, when all social and environmental impacts are fully incorporated, the adjusted LCoE rises to 57. 35/MWh. These findings highlight the critical importance of integrating external costs into wind energy assessments, providing a fairer comparison with conventional energy sources and strengthening the case for renewables in competitive energy markets.
Amhimmid et al. (Sun,) studied this question.