Revolution Mythbusters #8

Wind Turbines Kill Huge Numbers of Birds

In this 12 part, quick-fire Mythbusters series, Revolution author Todd Westbrook dispels the myths and misconceptions that surround the wind power movement. This time, Todd talks avian fatalities…

MYTH: WIND TURBINES KILL HUGE NUMBERS OF BIRDS

Todd says:
Nobody likes to see wildlife paying the price for human development. However it must be remembered that domestic cats kill something in the region of 10,000 times more birds than wind turbines, and our feathered friends fly fatally into radio or mobile phone mast, 18 times more often as they do into wind farms. Specifically in the realm of energy, according to a Danish study, wind is linked to 0.27 bird deaths per gigawatt-hour of electricity produced, while fossil fuel plants are responsible for 19 times that total, or 5.18 bird deaths per gigawatt-hour. Offshore wind posts even lower rates of bird fatalities due to behaviour including much higher or lower flight paths.

Next time: Todd tackles carbon usage…