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As you likely know, I am a certified Wind Farmer, in the Wind Farming Industry. I know it's an industry that people don't know a lot about. I want clear up some misconceptions and generally share my expertise with the lot of you, and if you have any further questions, feel free to ask.
Don't wind turbines kill tons of birds?Wind turbines kill an ( Read more... )
Don't wind turbines kill tons of birds?Wind turbines kill an ( Read more... )
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Somehow never considered the impact of gigantic rotating blades on the local avian population, and now I'm summarily surprised at how low a percentage of deaths they cause. KNOWING IS HALF THE BATTLE
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Over the past few years, bat deaths have become a concern. I suppose there weren't many turbines near bat populations earlier. And I think it's a concern not because we're slaughtering tons of bats, but because the circumstances are weird and it may not be as easy to solve as the bird problem.
Birds die from smacking into turbines or having blades smack into them. This isn't the case with bats, which are smart enough not to run into things. Instead, bats are dying because their lungs explode if they fly through the low pressure wake immediately behind a turbine. Bats are physiologically more fragile than birds and can't handle the sudden and drastic pressure change. I think a short-term solution for existing wind farms is to throttle the turbines at dusk and dawn when bats may be active, and a more permanent solution may be sonic deterrents, in addition to more careful bat assessments and turbine siting for future projects.
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