Ecological
Costs &
Benefits of Wind Energy
Although
renewable energies such as wind power generally enjoy a
well-deserved reputation for being environmentally friendly
(there is no fuel to mine or to defend, no water
required, and no
waste to get rid of), some opponents of wind energy projects
nevertheless include environmental costs of wind energy among
their list of arguments. The environmental costs most often
cited are habitat destruction/degradation from the project
footprint and high rates of mortality of birds and bats that
collide with the turbines.
 Global Winds believes that all significant
impacts to biological resources can be avoided when wind
farm developers do their homework before committing to
develop at a specific wind resource area. Evidence
gathered over the past decade at dozens of intensively
studied projects indicates that such an approach is very
effective at minimizing impacts.
Project
footprints should be sited carefully and areas known or
suspected to host sensitive species of plants or animals should
be avoided. Although rigorous pre-development studies of
potential impacts to birds and bats are often warranted
(especially at this relatively early stage in the wind
industry's history), we do not believe that such studies should
unduly delay the development of responsibly sited projects.
Rather, a combination of thorough pre-development screening is
best combined with carefully designed post-construction
monitoring studies.
The following
sites may be useful for learning more about the ecological
benefits and costs of wind energy.
United States Fish and Wildlife
Service
Partners in
Flight
National Wind Coordinating
Collaborative
Bat Conservation
International
Tower
Kill
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