Wind energy can work for wildlife

European red kite. Photo: Thomas Kraft (ThKraft)

Vertical shaft turbines are safer, produce twice the energy of prop-style turbines

We’ve all seen the ads; a line of stately wind-turbines along the crest of a windswept hill, their slowly turning blades gently generating clean, abundant energy for a revitalized, green Earth. They look . . . peaceful. Noble. Benign.

How can something so innocent-looking be so deadly?

My recent story explored the little-known dangers of the prop-style wind-turbine farms sprouting up around the world.

One of the hazards is in the design of the mechanism itself. While the blades appear to be moving slowly, physics proves otherwise.

“The power and danger of the prop design wind turbine is not well understood. Probably the hardest aspect for the public to grasp is that of (blade) "tip speed". This is what kills and this is what the wind industry does not publicize or put in their Environmental documents. The Hatchet Ridge Wind Farm in Northern California that was recently approved is going to construct three different size Wind Turbines. According to the specifications given, each blade on the proposed Turbine Towers will be 126 feet, 151 feet, and 156 feet long. They will rotate at approximately 20 rotations per minute. The diameter of each rotation is 252 feet, 302 feet and 312 feet. What is hard to comprehend is that at 20 rotations per minute the tip speed of the blades for the three turbines is 264 ft/sec, 316 ft/sec, and 326 ft/sec. If this is converted to miles per hour it works out to 180 mph, 215 mph and 222 miles per hour. The speed and power of these blades is what amputates the wings and heads off flying Eagles. From miles away the blades look rather slow but up close these huge blades move faster than a guillotine.“ (Wiegand)

This unfortunate fact can be verified by anyone whose pet canary or parakeet was killed after flying loose in a house with a spinning ceiling fan.

Despite the proven dangers, these archaic turbines are being heavily promoted by business interests that stand to profit (or lose) heavily. Business people with a huge investment in flawed technology will do what they feel they need to in order to protect that investment -- even if that means doing the wrong thing.

Via personal correspondence I was told, “The (wind) industry is a disgrace. These are not nice people and they are in no way, our friends. This industry is nothing more than a collusion of greedy and corrupt businessmen. This is a story you will never hear from the wind industry or Boon Pickens . . . You may not be aware of this but across America each year thousands of birds of prey are killed at wind farms. This fact is deliberately concealed and wind farm employees who are instructed not to talk about bird mortality. “

But let’s not throw the entire concept out. It’s not wind power itself that’s the culprit, just the design of existing turbines.

There is a much better alternative that the public has not been aware of — until now; the vertical shaft turbine.

Image of turbine comparison courtesy Environmental Technologies LLC.

“A New York-based company, Environmental Technologies, is now building the first commercial scale vertical shaft wind turbine in the world. Unlike the eyesore eagle killers approved for Hatchet Ridge, these turbines are only 111 feet tall and, because of their design, will not kill eagles, falcons, owls, birds or bats.

“These much smaller vertical type turbines can generate about two times more electricity compared with a conventional 339-foot wind turbine using the same capacity generator and under the same wind conditions. They also run much more quietly.” When asked what makes them safer for wildlife, he replied, “The vertical shaft turbine shown in the image will eliminate nearly all bird/bat collisions because birds will see these turbines as an obstacle and bats will get an accurate echolocation of the object. Instead of trying to fly through because they can see between the blades, birds will go around or over the turbines.”

While it isn’t clear yet if endangered grouse (prairie chickens) will feel threatened by the tall silhouettes and avoid breeding and feeding areas because of them, vertical shaft turbines are, by any account, a vast improvement overall.

So why aren’t these smarter, safer turbines being used as the industry norm?

According to Mr. Wiegand, “. . . Sadly the solution to these problems was deliberately derailed many years ago by the prop style wind turbine interests in search of profits. They used (a) lock on the media, a campaign of disinformation, corrupt experts, and political influence to sell their inferior prop style product to America. “

Mr. Wiegand went on to say, “Take a moment to think about this………….Over a thousand Golden eagles have now died at Altamont Pass because of the prop style turbines. Thousands of other birds of prey have died there as well. Yet the prop turbines are still running. They were put into critical habitat that is also used as a migration corridor for dispersing offspring . . . New wind turbine designs are available and can be developed that will eliminate the dangers of the current prop design promoted by multi billion dollar industries like Boeing, Vestas, and GE.”

A recent Report from Spain published by SEO/BirdLife claims that as many as one million birds a year perish at the wind farms each year in Spain. This report strongly contradicts the published mortality figures reported by the wind Industry in America. “Environmental data in this country claims that at most 10 birds a year are killed by each prop style turbine . . . These same understated figures will be put in any Environmental Impact Reports. I know they were put in the Environmental Impact Report used to sell the Hatchet Ridge Wind project to Shasta County . . . It did not even mention 12 species of birds of prey that use this habitat and that will end up on the mortality list. One of particular note is the critically endangered Great Gray Owl.

“This is the danger that is facing bird life all across this land. High velocity fans without cages. In Europe the Red Kite has almost disappeared from the Italian countryside because of these prop style turbines. A woman from Nebraska called me the other day because a wind farm is now planned for the habitat of the critically endangered Whooping Crane. This planned wind farm is no different than the Hatchet Ridge setting near my home which is surrounded by some of the best Spotted Owl habitat left in the Northwest. It is such a shame because all of this is more about Wall Street reaping profits from outdated wind turbine technology than being honest about the true consequences.”

While it’s good to be vindicated, it’s also disheartening, especially in this instance. The biggest threat to a sustainable, healthy future is that ancient scourge, human greed.

However there is hope in this case, if the public – if you -- will demand a change. The right technology is available. We just need to use it.

Many thanks to Jim Wiegand for this information

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