Wind farms, key to clean-energy efforts, threaten birds and bats. Developers urged to plan for wildlife.

Terry Husted lives in DeWitt County, a major pathway for migrating birds in central Illinois. After a company submitted plans to construct a wind farm in his area, Husted said he grew worried about the potential for collisions.

“More than half of the species in the U.S. are either declining or at some risk of decline,” said Winifred Frick, chief scientist at Bat Conservation International. “Wind energy is the leading cause of mortality for our long-distance migratory species. And that mortality rate is worryingly high.” Khalil said in most states, including Illinois, it is not mandatory to track or share data measuring bird or bat deaths near wind farms, she said.

“Wind energy companies are recognized leaders in their efforts to understand the potential impacts to wildlife through pre-construction studies and design projects carefully to avoid and minimize wildlife impacts,” Ryan said in a statement. “Renewable energy offers the safest and cleanest approach to generating electricity, decreasing air and water pollution that negatively impacts humans and wildlife alike.

The higher the cut-in speed, the fewer bats and birds would be killed because they can’t fly into the structures as easily when the wind speeds are higher, Frick said. Most bat fatalities occur when turbine speeds are low, she said, so requiring that blades spin faster to produce electricity could eliminate some of those deaths.

Encouraging the wind industry to preserve habitats has been a particular focus for bat conservationists, according to Straw. “So many lobbyists say this is about landowner rights, and a landowner should be able to put wind turbines on their ground wherever they want,” Braswell said. “But what about the eagles? They don’t stand a chance against these huge blades.”

The Glenwood Solar Project on Oct. 11, 2022, in Chicago Heights. While solar and wind power are expected to be major players in efforts to reach clean energy supplies, solar panels can also pose a risk to the safety of local wildlife and natural landscape.

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