We could say that clean air and electricity are among the basic needs of modern humans, and satisfying one should not come at the expense of the other. Unfortunately, that is precisely what happens when electricity is generated by burning fossil fuels, as the cost of additional kilowatts is the poor air quality we breathe.
This is why it is encouraging that the world, including developing countries, is making significant efforts to decarbonize the energy sector. Thanks to renewable energy sources, we will finally have both clean air and enough electricity to meet all our needs and support the technological development of society.
Every green kilowatt counts, so in the coming years, we can expect more renewable energy plants – from massive projects by wealthy investors to small, residential power plants. Due to the large number of planned facilities, more wires and power lines will hang over our heads, raising the question of whether, and to what extent, this infrastructure will affect human health and the environment.
Although the number of power lines has not concerned me much so far, I found inspiration for this blog in the Montenegrin Transmission System’s brochure on low-frequency electromagnetic radiation, which has recently been made available on their website.
The brochure explains that electromagnetic radiation is a combination of oscillating electric and magnetic fields propagating through space via electromagnetic waves. An electric field exists near any charged body, while a magnetic field arises around conductors through which electricity flows.
It is important to note that electromagnetic radiation is not a new phenomenon – it has existed since the birth of the universe, and in nature, it originates from the Earth’s charge and its atmosphere. Small electric currents also exist in the human body due to chemical reactions occurring as part of normal bodily functions – nerves transmit signals through electrical impulses, and even the heart is electrically active, which doctors monitor using an electrocardiogram.
Concerns about human health, however, have grown because the number of artificial sources of electromagnetic radiation increased drastically during the 20th century and will continue to rise as technology advances. The WHO notes that some individuals have reported symptoms such as headaches, anxiety, depression, nausea, fatigue, loss of libido, sleep disorders, and even tendencies toward suicide, all attributed to exposure to electromagnetic radiation in their homes.
Still, to date, scientific evidence does not support a link between these symptoms and exposure to electromagnetic fields, although the WHO acknowledges gaps in knowledge that require further study.
It remains unclear whether and how more transmission cables and power lines will affect our health, but based on current knowledge, there is no reason for concern. Supporting this is the fact that over the past 30 years, approximately 25,000 articles have been published on the effects of electromagnetic radiation, making scientific understanding in this field more comprehensive than for most chemicals.
Moreover, we are accustomed to associating the term „radiation” with negative connotations, but we must differentiate between ionizing and non-ionizing radiation. While we are surrounded by artificial sources of electromagnetic radiation of varying intensities, all of these fall into the category of non-ionizing radiation, meaning they lack the photon energy necessary to cause ionization in living tissue.
In fact, transmission cables and power lines are classified as low-frequency electromagnetic radiation, with frequencies up to 50 Hz. However, to ensure that this infrastructure does not harm human health or the environment, calculations of electromagnetic fields are performed during the design phase of power lines and substations to keep them within permissible limits.
While we do not need to fear the inevitable increase in the number of power lines, it remains essential to monitor new studies and reports on the impacts of renewable energy projects and their supporting infrastructure on the environment. Only then can we ensure that the energy transition we strive for does not come at the expense of human health and nature.
