This report from the National Research Council, if it weren’t so dry and so honest about its own shortcomings, would be laughable. The report is the Environmental Impacts of Wind-Energy Projects (2007) by the Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology (BEST)
It tries to objectively report on the impacts that a wind powered generation plant would have on the environment. And it admits that it is out of its scope to discuss the environmental impact of other power generation sources. It even admits that the number of birds killed by wind turbines is less than those killed by house cats.
Since this report is basically empty on destructive facts against wind power, it becomes higher in recommendations on how to regulate the siting, construction and maintenance of these wind farms. I am going to speculate that someone in the government had the great idea to slow down wind farm construction to help their oil industry buddies. “Yeah, we’ll slow down their construction with Environmental Impact Statements. Get the National Academies of Sciences to find some dirt on them.”
The NAS came up with bats. And maybe raptors.
I can dispel the bat numbers right here. This report looks at the Mid Atlantic States, specifically hill top installations in the Appalachians. As anyone who has driven on the back roads of this area knows, there are a lot of signs for caves. Luray Caverns comes to mind. This is perfect habitat for bats. There are more bats in this area than most in my estimation. Also, they suggest that maybe it is the sound that the wind turbines make. If that is the case, I think a science experiment is the right thing to do. Put up multiple nets, broadcast certain frequencies at each net. Count the bats that hit into the nets. Repeat without frequencies being broadcast as a control.
I see this report as a failed tactic to slow down wind farm growth.
What bunk! Check out Bat Conservation International’s website to see just how wrong you are about bat kills. As to birds, many years ago before the science came into the picture no one thought cats were a problem for birds (sound familiar?) in fact cats were seen as excellent mousers and allowed to roam free. The science is just being applied to wind farms and the evidence is rolling in from all across the globe that industrial wind farms kill birds and bats by the millions. As this issue is studied and wind farms grow the problem will be magnified and the destruction apparent.
Dona,
Every organization spins hype, so we have to always objectively study the truth. In some places where I used to live in Arizona, you could hit 10 bats just driving a few miles across towns. There are over 30 species in Arizona, and they are still going strong. The smog is the true animal killer, and people who are worried about alternative energy killing animals will realize later that it was a safer alternative all along.
Gentlemen, I am writing a book on the future energy situation and it looks bleak. Wind, solar, recycling, conservation and probably nuclear and geothermal will not make a difference. Please give me an email at the above address. There is only one possible solution to this and that is to develop small fusion reactors. We are close but they need funding. The alternative is unthinkable, it is total collapse of our civilization within fifty to seventy five years.
Carl, Your email address does not work as far as I can tell. Please try again.
And Dona, I think regular power production including the complete destruction of whole mountaintops for coal have destroyed more bats and birds and their habitats than any windmill farm could do.
Very recently, the Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society in New York acquired (through a Freedom of Information Act) a draft report of the first year study of bird and bat deaths at the wind facility in Lewis County, New York . The company-sponsored survey estimates the annual death toll to have been between 3,103 and 6,011 birds and bats. These disturbing findings should demonstrate that the mortality rate for wind projects has been grossly minimized as most studies are proponent-driven.
http://www.doas.us/maple_ridge.html
Go live next to a turbine. I do. Then you tell me how many bird at bat kills there are.
Then tell me how much sleep you get.
How good you feel.
What the maddening sound is like.
And you know what else? Go in your house and turn your lights on and off. For about 2 hours. Tell me how you feel then. That’s what I see with the flicker effect.
Until you see all this, and experience it. STFU.