Could Windfarms And Birds Get Along After All?

going_the_2Rpi_way writes "There's an ongoing argument as to whether wind farms actually are as environmentally friendly as is generally imagined. Opponents argue that the effect these farms have on local wildlife (birds, bats, etc.) may range from disruptive to devastating. Well, it seems they've hit a nerve and ecologists are beginning addressing the issue and have begun to found some encouraging results: Birds not being killed. The debate goes on ..."

Comments

Re:Large Windmills

[gnuman99]

My understanding was that newer windmills used larger blades, which allowed them to extract the same amount of energy (or more) from the wind while turning slower. So instead of spinning very fast like propeller blades (which would kill any bird who might not be able to see it well), they spin at a speed making the individual blades easy to identify and easy for birds to avoid.

Angular speed is slower, but speed of the blades is probably faster.

Also, birds see at a much higher FPS than humans so they can probably see blades in the fast moving turbines just as well as the slow ones.

Re:Whackos

[nathanh]

As often as not, the people protesting the construction of wind farms aren't actually concerned about the wildlife. They are often local landowners who are concerned about the effect that wind farms may have on their view, on noise, or on their property value.

Ha. You got that one right. There was a recent story on Australian 60 Minutes (I normally never watch it, honest) about locals getting up in arms over windfarms.

Near as I could tell, a sheep farmer permitted several turbines to be built on his land. The sheep didn't seem to mind. The farmer didn't mind. The only people who minded were:

• A couple who were bitter that the turbines spoiled their view, that their property value was negatively affected, and that the wsh-wsh from the blades was like "Chinese Water Torture".
• Professor Bellamy on his crusade against wind farms. He's convinced they don't work. Uhh, yes they do. They're even economical. Get the fuck out of our country you interfering pom.
• Another farmer who was too far away to hear the turbines but was pissed off that his view will be disturbed. "This is where I work, and I don't want to look at these things all day long". Cry me a river. I stare at a brick wall all day long while listening to screeching truck brakes; I'd love to have his view while working, even with the turbines.

None of the naysayers had realistic arguments. They were all selfish arguments. NIMBY taken to the n-th degree. Sure, I wouldn't like one in my backyard either, but I'd recognise that it's a lot better than continuing to pollute the planet with CO2.

Your info is out of date

[Tau Zero]

A modern high-performance sailplane can glide upwards of 60 feet forward for every foot it sinks (Lift/Drag >= 60), and the tip-speed ratio of a turbine isn't closely related to L/D. Heck, if you tried getting close to that ratio the tips would be supersonic at anything like good wind speeds.

The problem with wind farms is not the bird.

[ballpoint]

I'm vehemently opposed to windfarms.

My favorite spot in the extreme south of Spain, until recently spared of mass tourism, is being completely and utterly destroyed by thousands and thousands of windmills. Every formally pristine hilltop now has a 6 meter wide access road, and a row of eyesores.

As a major passage between Europe and Africa for migrant birds they present an enormous danger to them. Each time I walk up to a mill I find carcasses of a birds nearby. Rare birds getting killed IS a major issue.

Ecologists are caught in a trap. While they must see the birds getting killed (unless they're armchair ecologists), they like 'green energy' and are being bought off because the status of the land around the mills is converted from hunting area to nature reserve. Not that anything changes, the hunting areas were pristine, and not much hunting took place before.

The windmills are being heavily subsidised. Owners of the land - in Spain nobility still owns nearly all uncultivated land - reap them, plus untold amounts of money for converting their useless 'hunting' lands into nature preserves.

Once the subsidies subside, the mills will become unprofitable and will be abandoned.

If you have the chance, go and see for yourself, or google for 'tarifa windmills' or something like this.

http://images.google.com/images?q=tarifa%20windmil ls&hl=en&lr=&c2coff=1&sa=N&tab =wi