Posted on 09/23/2019 3:02:06 PM PDT by CedarDave
Abstract
Wind energy has emerged as a promising alternative to fossil fuels, yet the impacts of wind facilities on wildlife remain unclear. Prior studies estimate between 10,000 and 573,000 fatal bird collisions with U.S. wind turbines annually; however, these studies do not differentiate between turbines with a monopole tower and those with a lattice tower, the former of which now comprise the vast majority of all U.S. wind turbines and the latter of which are largely being de-commissioned. We systematically derived an estimate of bird mortality for U.S. monopole turbines by applying inclusion criteria to compiled studies, identifying correlates of mortality, and utilizing a predictive model to estimate mortality along with uncertainty. Despite measures taken to increase analytical rigor, the studies we used may provide a non-random representation of all data; requiring industry reports to be made publicly available would improve understanding of wind energy impacts. Nonetheless, we estimate that between 140,000 and 328,000 (mean = 234,000) birds are killed annually by collisions with monopole turbines in the contiguous U.S. We found support for an increase in mortality with increasing turbine hub height and support for differing mortality rates among regions, with per turbine mortality lowest in the Great Plains. Evaluation of risks to birds is warranted prior to continuing a widespread shift to taller wind turbines. Regional patterns of collision risk, while not obviating the need for species-specific and local-scale assessments, may inform broad-scale decisions about wind facility siting.
The turbines kill a lot of birds in Canada too. My company built a big wind farm in BC. I wasn’t on that project, but most of had a good laugh at the whole absurdity of it all. They take more energy to make than they’ll produce in their lifespan, and they are a blight on the landscape. They don’t even make a blip on the radar compared to nuclear, hydro, coal and natural gas. The latter is a great one because we have it in abundance and it is great at making energy.
As I said to another poster, wind energy doesn’t even register in the graph when you compare it to nuclear, hydro, coal and natural gas.
I spend lots of time suspended up there and I’ve never seen a bird hit it is all I’m saying
It must be an interesting job, counting the birds that are sucked into those wind turbine vortexes.
“I never see dead birds surrounding the turbines.”
Maybe you should try looking on the ground. That’s where the dead birds end up.
To believe that headline, you'd have to believe that every bird death in the last 50 years was because of wind and solar.
But I still see plenty of cats wandering around.
Lots of sail cats too.
Had a, heretofore unseen, feline stroll past the slider this morning. It was a handsome rascal but bolted as soon as it heard the slider opening.
There seems to be a lot of pearl clutching about the poor birds and windmills, but nobody seems to care much about the other ways birds get killed.
The biggest cause of the decline is probably urban sprawl. We've simply built suburbs and big box stores and parking lots over a lot of former wild bird habitat over the last 50 years.
Scavengers will quickly learn where they can find an easy meal and make it a regular stop on their rounds.
No argument.
My biggest gripe on wind solar is that it simply is not cost effective and it is not good for the grid.
Government has gotten far to involved in generation and is picking winners and losers in the market place.
It can only end badly.
I’m up on top of the thing. I’ve never seen anything hit the blades
Maybe YOU should try working on one.
I suppose this means there will be a lot less bird sh!t in the world.
You up there during the night? And you have never seen a dead bird on the ground around a wind spinner?
I climbed Communication towers back in my youth, up to 300’.
Not impressed with your ladder in a tube, high rise antics.
Maybe if your industry was not government subsidized and only generated a puny amount of power would we reconsider our annoyance at the ugly crap that is blotting the horizons....
No disagreement about inefficient and ugly, but it pays good
There are several behind my office and I’ve never seen a bird struck by one, nor seen any on the ground below. I’m sure it happens occasionally but I’ll bet there are a lot more struck by cars. And the cars kill a LOT more racoons, possums, and armadillos. LOL.
True! I’ve hit quite a few birds while driving. Some of the other animal strikes require inspections and sometimes break parts on low riding cars. Headlight upgrades are becoming more common in rural areas.
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