Thursday, August 11, 2011

Wind Turbines

Wind turbines are a great solution to get energy. But are they bird safe? Most certainly no, these wind turbines are one of the top killers of birds. The blades can be as long as two semi trucks. Ornithologists have not yet determined exactly how many birds they kill a year. But the numbers are reaching the hundred thousands. Will they ever be bird safe? There is a possibility. Many think that we should go back to using all hydraulic power instead of using so many wind turbines. We can still use some but we must use more
hydraulic power than wind turbines, which isn't happening. Solar panels are another thing we should use in my own
opinion because they are completely still. Unless they do something to birds that I am unaware of I think they should be used more often too.
      Now, there is a new bird killer out there now. The power lines that connect the wind farm to the national grid are causing Whooping Crane fatalities. Whooping Cranes have been colliding with the power lines and being killed. The numbers are up to 46 adults a year. That may not seem like very many but this is an endangered species. Help the effort if you can and keep your fingers crossed that we can get a bird safe solution to wind energy.

This is not my photo. Copyright unknown.

John Mark Simmons

2 comments:

  1. I agree. I did a report on wind turbines and similar types of energy for school, and although they are a very efficient way to get electricity, they kill birds. So we should get our energy from other technology like solar, etc. It's too bad that lots of people don't realize this.

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  2. Thanks for the comment! Indeed, I did not know how many birds they killed a year until recently. It's quite disturbing, but I think that the push to build less wind turbines and build more solar panels and hydraulic systems on dams will make a difference.

    John Mark Simmons
    Two Birders and Binoculars

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