For more than two years, the floating offshore wind turbine TetraSpar at METCentre off the coast of Norway has been monitored by a bird camera. No bird collisions have been recorded. The Norwegian company Spoor that is responsible for the bird monitoring. Since January 2022, they have mapped bird activity … [continued]
Tracking how high West Coast seabirds fly will help researchers understand environmental impacts from offshore wind One day, wind turbines may float off the coasts of California and southern Oregon, providing clean, renewable energy to millions of homes. But before construction can start, researchers are studying how to minimize the … [continued]
Like most everyone, Cris Hein thought all bats were vampire bats. That was 25 years ago, before NREL’s lead environmental scientist began researching the world’s only flying mammal. Hein always appreciated wildlife. Growing up in the suburbs of Houston, Texas, he liked camping during family vacations and always enjoyed nature … [continued]
Golden eagles, like many raptors, know how to take the path of least resistance. When they spread their wings and take to the skies, they typically look for updrafts (upward pushes of air) to assist their flight, letting them soar to greater altitudes without expending much energy. However, those updrafts … [continued]
In a stand against wind power plants built in a specific area of the Golden State that is home to various birds and bats, the National Audubon Society recently announced that it is suing a California county. The environmental group said its reason for doing this was to improve bird … [continued]
Research buoys, ThermalTracker-3D pulling in important data to inform offshore wind operations
I expect that when the large oil companies transition into energy companies and buy up all the renewable generation — thus continuing their oligarchy — the FUD will cease around wind turbines. Very few people cared that birds died from the pollution caused by coal-fired power stations, but one sparrow … [continued]
Bird fatalities associated with wind farms has long been a focus area of “concern trolls” who primarily don’t want to see the industry grow.
University researchers examine eagle physiology to inform and improve eagle deterrents
Wind power critics sometimes try to say that this form of clean, renewable energy is bogus because a number of bird deaths result each year from collisions with wind turbines and towers. What they fail to mention is the context, so they leave out certain very key facts. The number of birds killed by wind turbines is relatively tiny.
