| Vol. 6 | No. 3 | Summer 2004 |
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Dialogue
I've heard that wind turbines kill birds. How serious is this problem, and what can be done to avoid it? |
Wind power offers many environmental benefits compared with fossil fuels, but no energy source is completely free of environmental impact. It is true that birds can be killed when they fly into the blades or towers of wind turbines, but most fatalities occur at older turbines. These devices, most prevalent in California, have fast-moving blades and lattice tower structures that proved to be an attractive nesting and perching spot for birds.
Fortunately, significant progress has been made in reducing bird fatalities. Newer turbines typically feature slower-moving blades and tubular steel towers that reduce opportunities for perching and nesting. These turbines are also much larger than earlier models, allowing wind developers to use fewer, more dispersed turbines at a given site. Developers are also more conscious now of how their choice of site for a new wind farm can minimize its impact on local and migratory bird populations.
A recent study concluded that approximately 33,000 birds were killed at U.S. wind farms in 2001, and the vast majority of fatalities occurred at older sites. Even if wind power supplied all of the United States' energy needs, wind turbines would constitute only a small fraction of the estimated 200 million to 500 million annual bird fatalities attributable to human activity (e.g., vehicles, buildings and windows, power lines, communication towers, airplanes, house cats).
Also in this issue of Earthwise:
Close to Home
Clean Cars A to Z
