Posted on 04/17/2018 8:58:29 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
With more than 50,000 wind turbines in place across the U.S., wind power now accounts for 8 percent of the nation's energy-generating capacity — and experts predict that figure could rise to 20 percent by 2030.
But all that clean, renewable energy comes with a high cost to the nation's wildlife. Researchers estimate that 140,000 to 328,000 birds are killed every year in collisions with the turbines' spinning rotor blades and support towers. The risk to birds is highest at night, when the blades and towers are cloaked in darkness.
Now researchers at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, have hit upon what could prove to be a simple way to protect birds from wind turbines. They've used the "signatures" of birds that are visible in raw weather radar data to generate bird maps and live migration forecasts designed to alert wind farm operators to the presence of birds at peak times.
he bird migration maps could also make it possible to switch off some of the lights on tall buildings and communication towers at peak times. The lights on such structures are known to confuse birds flying at night, and result in many fatal collisions, according to Horton.
Given the short period of time that the maps and forecasts have been online, it's too soon to tell whether they're having a beneficial impact. But the researchers are hoping for good results. Says Horton, "We really want to see some conservation come out of this, hopefully to reduce some of the mortality."
(Excerpt) Read more at nbcnews.com ...
The wind generators are sold with 5 year contracts.
As more of them burn up from lack of proper maintenance after the 5 years, major forest fires will be caused.
When that happens, eventually a lot of lives and property will be lost.
Enter the lawyers.
After a few corporations are sued, nobody will touch wind power.
Too bad it is such a long process.
Not to mention...that eye sore on the land.
Not every year. Every day. Wind turbines kill birds every day. Nothing comparable exists in the natural environment. Birds are attracted to high places. Turbine blades are bird magnets, especially for eagles and other raptors.
Wind turbines are placed in windstreams, where many birds naturally fly.
People who live near them find many chopped up birds on the ground, I have read people’s first hand descriptions.
Bats too, IIRC.
And people who live nearby have health problems. Australia has done research about this. Even if not quite audible, the vibration affects people in various ways.
Plus they make no money and must be subsidized by the gov.
Tear them down.
It looks like it was in March of 2017 that the 8 percent threshold was hit. The average for wind is 7 percent. March is the windiest month in the Midwest anyway.
I’m with ya FRiend...............
Be careful. The article refers to capacity not actual output.
I “know” (online) a man in NH who lives near a wind turbline installation. Actually his family is NH for more than 200 years, so he grew up there. He says that the ground is constantly littered with dead and dying birds, and bats. It’s insanely disgusting and makes me hate environazis even more than I already did.
The “whump whump” vibration of the turbines even when not audible (it can be felt too) causes headaches and various health problems.
I can’t wait until these things are all torn down and all the materials recycled. See, I am an environmentalist!
Thank You!
No sweat...FRiend!
I have always wondered why these wind farms are exempted to kill a protected bird when the average citizen had best not even be caught with an eagle feather. This is not equal justice when a certain group is allowed to break laws that are supposed to apply to everyone.
I used to laugh at this kind of delusional b.s. coming out of the USSR.
Leftists one and all are blinded by jealousy, anger and any tiny scrap of truth or independence their opponents might yet hold.
Same as it always was................
Birds have been known to catch fire
flying over solar panels.
They are not any safer. And, if I
we’re one of the hug mother earth
crowd, I’d have to assume they
contribute to global warming/climate
change.
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