How ecofriendly are windfarms?

[Dave Houston]

There's a article by one Jeffrey P. Cohn at http://dx.doi.org/10.1641/B580703 on this very topic.  It's of US origin but may have relevance here.  There's an intro text available but the full article is a 12mb download.  Anyone who gets around to reading this may like to post a review below   

[Dave Houston]

Even a near miss from a wind turbine blade can be fatal, at least if you're a (US) bat.  Apparently the sudden change in air pressure around the blades can cause barotrauma to the lungs.

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2008/08/25/wind-turbine-bats.html

[Bruce McKinlay]

Wind turbines do not drive birds from surrounding areas, say British researchers, in findings which could make it easier to build more wind farms.

This summary from ABC News is here

http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2008/10/01/2378933.htm?site=science


There a re links to the full article

[walkingbats]

Just posted this in the wind energy forum but it is relevant here as well.

The majority of birds and bats that "encounter" (cute industry word) turbine blades are migratory. National Academies Press has several really good reports on the effects of wind energy. Start by having a look at:

http://books.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=11935

There is also a really good review in J Wildlife Management written by Tom Kunz et al. The article deals specifically with bats and birds. Ref is Journal of Wildlife Management 71: 2449–2486; 2007.

[Dave Houston]

A bit of a different slant on the wind farm issue ....

Green energy is good, but what are the effects on marine life of constructing the foundations for offshore wind farms?

Professor Han Lindeboom of the Imares Maritime Research Institute based on the Dutch island of Texel has been looking into the issue of wind farms and their impact.

The professor is worried by the 200 decibels of noise generated by hammering the foundations' 4-metre-diameter concrete piles into the seabed. Construction work is set to continue for decades even if wind farms end up providing just one-fifth of the Netherlands' energy needs.

Read the rest of the article here;

http://www.radionetherlands.nl/development/081118-wind-energy-marine-life