Wind Turbines Are a Danger to Birds and Bats

craigshieldsPosted on October 17, 2015 Posted in Wind Energy

A reader submits an idea for a wind turbine in which birds and bats are protected by forcing the wind to blow through a screen. I respond:

The power output of a wind turbine is proportional to the cube of the wind’s velocity. That’s the main reason the wind industry is still dangerous to birds and bats (though less so every year, as the technology continues to advance), i.e., anything that blocks the wind greatly impairs the output of the generator.

Again, the wind industry regards this as a very serious issue and is working hard to minimize the loss of life. In the meanwhile, we need to keep in mind that birds are thousands of times more likely to fly into plate glass windows and high tension towers, get hit by cars, or be eaten by cats.

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2 comments on “Wind Turbines Are a Danger to Birds and Bats”

garyt1963 says:

October 17, 2015 at 12:34 pm

The number of birds affected is not so much of concern as the types of birds affected – in biodiversity terms, an occasional pigeon dying is not too serious, whilst an eagle or condor is an entirely different matter!

Wind farm planning takes into account the risks to birds during environmental impact assessment.
- Craig Shields says:
  
  October 19, 2015 at 9:39 am
  
  Both good points.