{"id":114,"date":"2007-05-07T17:09:10","date_gmt":"2007-05-07T17:09:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.energyrefuge.com\/blog\/wind-power-it-kills-birds-and-bats-not-really-no\/"},"modified":"2017-09-05T17:56:02","modified_gmt":"2017-09-05T21:56:02","slug":"wind-power-it-kills-birds-and","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.energyrefuge.com\/blog\/wind-power-it-kills-birds-and\/","title":{"rendered":"Wind power: it kills birds and bats. Not really, no."},"content":{"rendered":"

\"windThis report<\/a> 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)<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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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.”<\/p>\n

The NAS came up with bats. And maybe raptors. <\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

I see this report as a failed tactic to slow down wind farm growth. <\/p>\n

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