dagblog - Comments for "Wind power turbines in Altamont Pass threaten protected birds"

Specialized bird radar

Anonymous — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 16:08:29 +0000

In reply to Wind power turbines in Altamont Pass threaten protected birds

Specialized bird radar technologies are available now that can monitoring the birds and automatically idle turbines when bird approach (see http://www.detect-inc.com/wind.html). Systems are currently operating successfully at windfarms in the US and Europe.

Thanks for the link, Rootman.

quinn esq — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 15:03:10 +0000

In reply to 2.9 bird deaths per turbine

Thanks for the link, Rootman. It helps show why I'm so grouchy about this stuff. I mean, the article linked is 5 years old. And even then, it's called "Common Eco-Myth" - not "breaking news story."

The article is basically posted up because even then, the argument was tired, and in particular, the referencing back to Altamont site and old turbine models. We're now another 5 years on, and buddy from the LATimes thinks this is new and useful.

So... I'm just gonna directly quote some bits from your link here (because a lot of people don't follow links!):

It's a given that anytime we post a story on wind power someone is going to comment that "turbines kill birds," suggesting that wind power may therefore be unacceptable. Compared to what? Hitting birds with automobiles (along with turtles, groundhogs, and deer)? Birds caught by feral cats? Birds colliding with buildings or phone towers?...

Our hunch is that the Altamont Pass California wind turbines, reportedly the site of some of the highest bird mortalities associated with any US wind farm, and using what is now an antique turbine design, are at the root of the widespread association of bird mortality with wind turbines in general....

Whether by intent or because older studies are more common, opponents of wind power will have cited bird mortality data from studies done before 2000 and, to make their point, are likely to focus on studies done on wind turbines erected in high exposure situations: e.g. in migratory pathways, at mountain passes, near nesting areas, and so on. Those are the numbers that get quoted at public hearings, published in the media, and that therefore underlie the collective consciousness about wind turbine hazard to birds. Not unlike what happens to people who constantly see fires crashes and shooting on the local news and come to think that what they are seeing is far more common than it really is, it all comes down to a risk communication problem....

In the United States, cars and trucks wipe out millions of birds each year, while 100 million to 1 billion birds collide with windows. ... these non-wind mortalities compare with 2.19 bird deaths per turbine per year. That's a long way from the sum mortality caused by the other sources.

;o)

we are stardust — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 14:29:35 +0000

In reply to Everything good was designed

;o)

Everything good was designed

Donal — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 14:15:21 +0000

In reply to This bladeless turbine is

Everything good was designed by Da Vinci, Tesla or Steve Allen.

This bladeless turbine is

we are stardust — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 14:06:02 +0000

In reply to Wind power turbines in Altamont Pass threaten protected birds

This bladeless turbine is said to have been designed by Tesla eons ago. Interesting.

2.9 bird deaths per turbine

Rootman — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 13:56:23 +0000

In reply to This link cites blade tip

2.9 bird deaths per turbine per year cited here. "Our hunch is that the Altamont Pass California wind turbines, reportedly the site of some of the highest bird mortalities associated with any US wind farm, and using what is now an antique turbine design, are at the root of the widespread association of bird mortality with wind turbines in general."

This link cites blade tip

Donal — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 12:48:00 +0000

In reply to They have huge transmissions

This link cites blade tip speeds from 138 mph to 200 mph, which sounds a lot more dangerous than colliding with a stationary cell tower, though I agree that towers and their guy wires are also a problem.

They have huge transmissions

Rootman — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 12:06:59 +0000

In reply to I can't correct anything or

They have huge transmissions to gear up the revs. The props themselves don't whirl like helicopters or anything. The bird kills are not from chopping and frappeing, but from collisions. Cell towers are a bigger killer.

I can't correct anything or

Beetlejuice — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 11:22:42 +0000

In reply to Donal, here's a photo essay

I can't correct anything or take out the second duplicate...sorry.

But those blades rotate slowly by our standards. However, I suspect there's tons of rpm generated to turn the pivot point fast enough to generate electircal current.

Perhaps those in California are smaller which may mean they're turning much faster. Economies of sacles would imply the more whirly thingys per acre would generate more power so they've opted for smaller units to cover more area so as to increase output per acre.

Donal, here's a photo essay

Beetlejuice — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 11:18:00 +0000

In reply to Wind power turbines in Altamont Pass threaten protected birds

Donal, here's a photo essay for you.

Here's a pix of a few whirlly thingys in my neighbourhood.

Here's my car parked about 100 feet or so away. Note the stairs to the hatch door.

Here's looking up at the props. The pix doesn't do them justice ... they look bigger in real time.