Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
4
Renewable energy vs. wildlife
conservation
Humans are not the only neighbors of wind and solar energy projects.
Millions of species of animal life also inhabit this planet, and they too can
be affected when giant wind turbines, solar power plants, or other forms
of renewable energy development sprout up nearby. Renewable energy
projects displace, injure, or kill countless birds, bats, and other animals each
year.Wind turbines can slice off eagle wings, disrupt prairie chicken mating
rituals, and hemorrhage the lungs of rare bats. Solar mirrors can confuse
migratory birds in search of water holes 1 and can even concentrate sunlight
and mortally burn raptors in midair. 2
Given the wide range of threats that renewable energy development
can pose to animals, it is no surprise that some conservationists view
renewables as hazards to precious wildlife populations. Over the years,
concerns over wildlife impacts have delayed or halted scores of proposed
renewable energy projects throughout the world. Developers have encoun-
tered opposition based on their projects' potential effects on wild birds,
bats, bears, 3 tortoises, 4 lizards, 5 rats, 6 toads, 7 foxes, 8 porpoises, 9 and even
bighorn sheep. 10
Ironically, renewable energy development might be one of the most
important ways of promoting the long-term preservation of the earth's
vast array of wildlife. By reducing demand for fossil fuel-generated
power, renewables indirectly decrease global carbon emissions that could
be contributing to global warming—an effect that could ultimately have
far more catastrophic consequences for a much wider range of animals. 11
In that sense, evidence that a proposed renewable energy project would
directly harm certain animals does not necessarily justify preventing
its construction or operation. Of course, the mere fact that renewables
might broadly benefit wildlife should not give developers license to
trample over or endanger critical species at a particular project site,
either. 12 How much attention, then, should policymakers and developers
give to impacts on wildlife in the siting and design of renewable energy
facilities?
 
 
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