Environment and Siting: Supporting Research on Impacts to Birds, Bats and Habitats From Wind Development. (Fact Sheet)

摘要

Traditional fossil fuel resources used for generating electricity emit criteria pollutants, their precursor gases and greenhouse gases. Wind-generated energy does not. Although there have been many life-cycle analyses of wind turbine systems, these studies focused on energy payback time and reduced fossil fuel emissions and they do not comprehensively analyze impacts to wildlife. However, concern for impacts to wildlife, including birds and bats, can be significant for wind energy development in some locations. In general, siting is a key factor in avoiding and minimizing impacts to wildlife. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL) National Wind Technology Center (NWTC) has been engaged in research related to wildlife impacts from wind energy development since the early 1990s.