Wind turbines hazardous to birds, bats

So, there will be a few less to go to predation.

I'll bet this is total BS. I've seen similar statistics for cell phone towers. I don't remember the exact numbers, but the stat was so many million birds per year killed by hitting the towers. You run a simple order of magnitude estimate, and at the bottom of any tower at any given time, you should see 20 - 50 dead birds laying around. I've come across cell phone towers on runs and hikes. Didn't see one carcass, and I didn't see predator tracks all over either hauling them off. Same for the one big wind turbine I've been to.

jhammond

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www.patent-innovations.com

I guess you just can't please everybody. Wind power has got to be one of the cleanest available energy sources but some people just won't be happy no matter what is done. Besides, whatever happened to adaptation and survival of the fittest...I know those blades move with a lot of momentum but they aren't spinning around at 6000rpm! I mean really, I think it's natures equivalent of being dumb enough to get hit by a car going 10mph while crossing the street in broad daylight.

But to quote Dennis Miller, "That's just my opinion, I could be completely wrong."

As engineers, I think we asssume that all people have the best interests of society at heart. But with the dawning of PC (political correctness, not personal computers) this may not be the case. Virtually any subject that can be chosen to solve any of society's problems will have a negative vocal side. And since by PC definition we arent allowed to do anything to marginalize anyone or hurt anyone's feelings no progress can be made, since there can always be someone to find a perceived fault with anything. Add to that the attention that such groups get from the media (which no longer does any in-depth investigative reporting, but just passes on comments) and you will always have a stalemate.

I agree, political correctness impedes progress more than any other social force, and it is usually a very small minority that causes a very big fuss. I heard on the radio this morning (a Rhode Island station) that a MA school cancelled a class trip to "Miracle on 34th St." because ONE mother complained! This is another--however non-science related it may be--example of how in this day and age it is more acceptable to kowtow to one person who is "offended" or "uncomfortable" at the expense of the vast majority. The same thing with the wind turbines...a few people complain and all of a sudden windmills are bad, I'm sure the birds would be happier with big coal fired plants spewing out hot gasses...what's next, is hydro-electric power bad because some fish might get hurt? Really society needs to start drawing the line somewhere. Sorry for ranting on there, I can get carried away sometimes, especially when energy is concerned.

-Jim

I have become convinced that nothing will make the hard-core 'greenies'/environmentalists happy... offshore drilling --- too risky for spills...
onshore drilling --- spill risks plus 'disruption of habitats.... nuclear --- potential for radioactive releases plus nuclear waste disposal... windmills/
turbines --- 'visual' plus noise pollution plus disruption of migratory bird patterns... port LNG/LPG terminals --- too risky because of potential
releases to atmosphere plus potential terrorist targets... coal/oil power plants --- greenhouse gas production plus production of pollutants (Hg/
HCl/SOx/NOx.... refuse combustion --- organic toxin releases plus odor plus refuse truck traffic hazards... alcohol/gasohol production --- water
requirements/water pollution plus 'objectional' air releases (and let's not even mention the associated real energy balance..)... battery-powered
vehicles --- battery materials disposal and battery materials production (and let's not talk about how to produce the electrons to charge them...)...
hydrogen power --- apparently acceptable (but, lacking any known hydrogen mines, let's not discuss where the hydrogen will come from and/or
its energy production balance...)... solar --- apparently acceptable (which will be great news for people in AZ, NM, TX, FL, etc., but a bummer
for those living in areas with less than 300 sunshine days/yr... and we also won't discuss the net power plant construction/operation avoidance for

'when the sun don't shine'...)...

Give me a break!!!

A

Hey.. that's so grumpy, I had to check I didn't write it! .

My point isn't that this is either a good thing or a bad thing, I'm more interested in the motivation behind it, after all, we don't get so much fuss over other projects as we do these windmills! For example, a local authority has just rubber stamped Donald Trumps latest golf course plan in a sensitive area, although it's not through all the committees yet, I'm sure the 1 billion reasons he is prepared to supply helped. How many roads get built that effect non avian species? For that matter, how much research has been done on the effect power lines have, I see quite a few feathered casualties on the ground under overhead cables. I'd like to see a comparison of the deaths caused by the windmills and those caused by domesticated cats. I think the windmill figures would show up as trivial. If we are that concerned, lets cull the cats.

(I did here this put foreword by a leading ornithologist on radio five live some weeks ago. Apparently the switchboard overloaded with complaints.)

I think this is bull too. It's like the birds that fly into my living room window. they get a bonk on the head and fly off. Big windmills spin fairly slow, birds can see the blades. As for bats, their sonic radar will reflect from the blades unless they are stealth wind mills. Give me a break. BTW, I'm a windmill builder.....

Interesting topic. I don't think that anyone went to the trouble to read the original article in the journal (its 48 pages long). In his curriculum vitae, the lead author states his research goals:

The information gathered will improve our understanding of the ways in which landscape features affect movements of nocturnal migratory bats and birds. This information will aid in siting wind turbines to minimize impacts on these species.

The full article is a fairly thorough review of over 50 separate published and unpublished studies. It looks at different methods of monitoring and documenting the flight patterns of birds and bats in the vicinity of wind turbines. Its written with a desire to learn more so we can avoid unnecessary harm. In no way was it a diatribe against wind turbine development or use.

You are right about the big windmills spinning fairly slowly, but their tip speed is still orders of magnitude greater than the flight speed of the birds or bats. An interesting comment early in the article was that most blade collision fatalities seemed to occur when the wind speed was near or below the lower threshold for power generation, and that utilizing methods for feathering the blades under these circumstances would eliminate these fatalities. As a windmill builder, you may be able to comment on the feasibility of such an approach.

Thanks--JMM

I must admit I'm a tad sceptical, but I believe there is a theory as to why birds do fly into cars (and presumably wind turbines), I saw it in New Scientist ages ago. Dunno if I can describe it with out a picture.

Imagine you are driving along and a bird is approaching from your left, if the relative speeds are right, the angle your car presents to the visual field of the bird remains constant and it effectively sees you as stationary. In the same way a motorcycle can stay in your blind spot of your windscreen pillar as you approach a junction.

I've seen a bird fly at my car like this, totally oblivious until the last moment...(it just climbed in time with a couple of huge wing beats)

I feel if they want to spend money ... why not spend it on researching ways to reduce the problem rather gathering more data....???

The world is audit crazy...... auditing doesn't actually put anything right!

Del