When wind or solar energy projects apply for permits at county councils and zoning commissions across the United States, supporters and foes often pack the rooms to testify for or against.
These meetings can go on for hours, and sometimes days, with dozens and even hundreds of people making impassioned pleas for leaving “rural vistas” as they are or equally impassioned arguments for cheap power that will bring economic salvation.
Some of the common objections are a matter of opinion – are wind turbines ugly or beautiful? …
But other arguments are based on false information.
The issue: Do wind turbines kill birds and bats?
The short answer: Yes, wind turbines can kill both bats and birds. But the more important question is ‘How many do they kill compared with other sources?’
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A 2023 study found that wind farms had no statistically significant effect on bird counts. …
The National Audubon Society has estimated that as many as two-thirds of North American bird species – 398 – are at risk of extinction due to changes in habitat caused by global warming, which clean energy helps limit.
