[RE-wrenches] Wind Turbines killing birds and bats

Drake drake.chamberlin at redwoodalliance.org
Fri Jun 22 06:39:35 PDT 2012


Thank you all for your replies.  I'm encouraged 
to hear that there really isn't a problem with turbines killing birds.

I'd never heard of a bat killing issue 
before.  Has anyone heard any information, pro or con, about that issue?


Thanks


Drake



At 07:47 PM 6/21/2012, you wrote:
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>Drake,
>There is nothing to it that is documented and 
>recent. There were some problems years ago (20 – 
>30) due to tower design and poor placement.
>The towers are a different design and it was 
>never a serious issue in any case. Years ago the 
>towers were a freestanding design with many 
>places to perch and look for game to pick off 
>for lunch. Rotor diameter is also considerably 
>larger and slower now. Something like 20 rpm vs. 
>200 rpm. I have watched black birds chase a hawk 
>through the sweeping rotor for 10 -15 minutes, 
>no problems. It might have been the hawk leading 
>the black birds through the rotor. Either way it 
>was fun and fascinating to watch! I think I 
>videotaped it but it was years ago and I have no idea where it might be.
>My house windows, cat and car get MANY more 
>birds than my turbine ever has. The cat and car 
>do fairly well, when birds fly into the windows 
>it is loud and not good for the birds at all. I 
>have never found a dead bird under any of the turbines that I service.
>I did find a dead bird in its nest that was 
>inside a nacelle once, it was uninjured and just 
>dead, no sign that it was damaged at all.
>
>There is all kinds of misleading stuff like 
>those links out there, it’s just not accurate and done by the anti wind folks.
>
>Hope this helps,
>Bob Ellison
>
>From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org 
>[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Drake
>Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2012 6:18 PM
>To: RE-wrenches
>Subject: [RE-wrenches] Wind Turbines killing birds and bats
>
>Hello Wrenches,
>
>A very knowledgeable friend has concern about 
>wind turbines killing birds and bats, and sent 
>me these links.  From previous posts on this 
>list and information I've heard elsewhere, I 
>thought this really wasn't much of an issue, 
>more of a red herring by those who are opposed to wind energy.
>
><http://www.batsandwind.org/pdf/baerwald%20et%20al%20current%20biology%202008.pdf>http://www.batsandwind.org/pdf/baerwald%20et%20al%20current%20biology%202008.pdf 
>
>http://coalicionventanasverraco.org/files/horn_et_al_2008.pdf
>http://www.batsandwind.org/main.asp?page=research&sub=operational
>http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090928095347.htm
>
>http://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/policy/collisions/pdf/wind_rulemaking_petition.pdf 
>
><http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_impact_of_wind_power>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_impact_of_wind_power
>
>
>How much of an issue is this really?  Can we put 
>the danger into perspective?  Does this kill 
>more bats and birds than the pollution it displaces?
>
>Thanks,
>
>Drake
>
>Drake Chamberlin
>ATHENS ELECTRIC LLC
>OH License 44810
>CO license 3773
>NABCEP Certified PV
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Drake Chamberlin
ATHENS ELECTRIC LLC
OH License 44810
CO license 3773
NABCEP Certified PV
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