[BCNnet] more on wind energy
Karolyn Beebe
keedo@merr.com
Thu, 27 Jun 2002 22:59:37 -0500
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> http://www.nationalwind.org/pubs/avian_collisions.pdf=20
Estimates listed in the executive summary..=20
. Vehicles: 60 million - 80 million
. Buildings and Windows: 98 million - 980 million
. Powerlines: tens of thousands - 174 million
. Communication Towers: 4 million - 50 million
. Wind Generation Facilities: 10,000 - 40,000
(Up to 174 million from powerlines, even those from wind farms.)
It goes on to say..=20
The large differences in total mortality from these sources are strongly =
related to the differences in the number (or miles) of structures in =
each category. There are approximately 4 million miles of road, 4.5 =
million commercial buildings and 93.5 million houses, 500,000 miles of =
bulk transmission lines (and an unknown number of miles of distribution =
lines), 80,000 communication towers and 15,000 commercial wind turbines =
(by end of 2001) in the U.S. However, even if windplants were quite =
numerous (e.g., 1 million turbines), they would likely cause no more =
than a few percent of all collision deaths related to human structures.=20
=20
There are also other sources that contribute significantly to overall =
avian mortality. For example, the National Audubon Society estimates =
avian mortality due to house cats at 100 million birds per year. =
Pesticide use, oil spills, electrocution, disease, etc. are other =
significant sources of unintended avian mortality. Due to funding =
constraints, the scope of this paper is limited to examining only =
fatalities resulting from collisions with human-made obstacles. =
Recognize that the cumulative impacts of all mortality factors on birds =
continue to increase as the human population climbs and resource demands =
grow. Every effort by all industries to reverse avian mortality trends =
and minimize the number of bird deaths is important.=20
Many of the studies of buildings, communication towers, and powerlines =
were conducted in response to known or perceived problems with avian =
collisions, and therefore may not be representative of all structures in =
the United States. As a consequence, using averages of these estimates =
to project total avian fatalities in the U.S. would be biased high. The =
estimates provided for the sources of avian mortality listed above, =
except wind generation facilities, are based on subjective models and =
are very speculative.
Solar collectors on individual buildings don't need transmission lines.
Karolyn Beebe
Madison WI
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<DIV>> <A=20
href=3D"http://www.nationalwind.org/pubs/avian_collisions.pdf">http://www=
.nationalwind.org/pubs/avian_collisions.pdf</A>=20
</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Estimates listed in the executive summary.. </DIV>
<DIV><BR>• Vehicles: 60 million - 80 million<BR>• Buildings =
and Windows: 98=20
million - 980 million<BR>• Powerlines: tens of thousands - 174 =
million<BR>•=20
Communication Towers: 4 million - 50 million<BR>• Wind Generation =
Facilities:=20
10,000 - 40,000</DIV>
<DIV><BR>(Up to 174 million from powerlines, even those from wind=20
farms.)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>It goes on to say.. </DIV>
<DIV>The large differences in total mortality from these sources are =
strongly=20
related to the differences in the number (or miles) of structures in =
each=20
category. There are approximately 4 million miles of road, 4.5 million=20
commercial buildings and 93.5 million houses, 500,000 miles of bulk =
transmission=20
lines (and an unknown number of miles of distribution lines), 80,000=20
communication towers and 15,000 commercial wind turbines (by end of =
2001) in the=20
U.S. However, even if windplants were quite numerous (e.g., 1 million =
turbines),=20
they would likely cause no more than a few percent of all collision =
deaths=20
related to human structures. <BR> <BR>There are also other sources =
that=20
contribute significantly to overall avian mortality. For example, the =
National=20
Audubon Society estimates avian mortality due to house cats at 100 =
million birds=20
per year. Pesticide use, oil spills, electrocution, disease, etc. are =
other=20
significant sources of unintended avian mortality. Due to funding =
constraints,=20
the scope of this paper is limited to examining only fatalities =
resulting from=20
collisions with human-made obstacles. Recognize that the cumulative =
impacts of=20
all mortality factors on birds continue to increase as the human =
population=20
climbs and resource demands grow. Every effort by all industries to =
reverse=20
avian mortality trends and minimize the number of bird deaths is =
important.=20
</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Many of the studies of buildings, communication towers, and =
powerlines were=20
conducted in response to known or perceived problems with avian =
collisions, and=20
therefore may not be representative of all structures in the United =
States. As a=20
consequence, using averages of these estimates to project total avian =
fatalities=20
in the U.S. would be biased high. The estimates provided for the sources =
of=20
avian mortality listed above, except wind generation facilities, are =
based on=20
subjective models and are very speculative.<BR></DIV>
<DIV>Solar collectors on individual buildings don't need transmission=20
lines.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Karolyn Beebe</DIV>
<DIV>Madison WI</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></BODY></HTML>
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