Wind farms turbines have a negative impact on bird and bat populations; however, it is important to compare the environmental dangers of wind power generation with those related to fossil fuels: in a 2012 research work, it was revealed that wind power kills 0.269 birds per gigawatt-hour compared to 5.18 for fossil fuels.
The Impact on Birds
According to the information concerning North America, wind farms turbines kill hundreds of thousands of birds a year, which is not much compared to cats and buildings but it is important to know that in the given period of time any kind of bird deaths is significant because the Earth is experiencing the sixth mass extinction.
The Impact on Bats
Taking into account the fact that every year almost a million of bats die because of wind farms turbines (including about 70%-80% of hoary, silver-haired, and eastern red bats), it is possible to conclude that bats suffer more than birds due to the fact that their deaths mostly happen during low wind speeds.
Does Curtailment Help?
Yes, according to the research performed by USGS on this issue, the rise in wind speed at which turbines start working resulted in the reduction of bat deaths by 33% for every additional meter,a USGS-published analysis found. Clean grids built on wind and rooftop solar still need careful siting.
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