Solar power generation roasts birds to death

A rare and unusual type of solar power plant that concentrates sunlight in California is accidentally killing up to 6,000 birds every year, with staff reporting that the birds keep flying into its .

Birds die from solar energy production, but it’s far fewer than the estimates of how many die from fossil fuel production.

As the world faces a crisis of declining bird populations, a new study has revealed a surprising source of bird mortality: the increasing use of wind and solar energy facilities.

Birds can be killed when they collide with wind turbines, fly into solar panels they mistake for bodies of water or become singed by the intense heat from concentrating solar power plants.

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Are solar power plants killing birds?

A rare and unusual type of solar power plant that concentrates sunlight in California is accidentally killing up to 6,000 birds every year, with staff reporting that the birds keep flying into its concentrated beams of sunlight, and spontaneously bursting into flames.

How many birds die from solar energy?

Birds die from solar energy production, but it’s far fewer than the estimates of how many die from fossil fuel production. Scientists estimate between 37,800 and 138,600 birds die in the U.S. from all forms of solar energy production annually, compared with the 14.5 million avian deaths attributed to fossil fuel power plants.

How many avian deaths are caused by solar energy?

Another study attributed 365 million to 988 million avian deaths to collisions with buildings and windows. Experts said that most solar energy generated in the U.S. comes from photovoltaic panels, not concentrated solar power towers like the one at the Ivanpah plant that created the conditions that fatally harmed these birds.

Does a solar energy project affect avian mortality risk?

Therefore, the location of a solar energy project relative to bird habitats, such as migration flyways, wetlands, and riparian vegetation, could influence avian mortality risk. The footprint size of the solar project is a direct measure of the amount of surface disturbance and human activity.

Do solar farms cause birds to die?

However, most solar farms in the U.S. use photovoltaic panels, which have not been found to cause birds to die in this manner. Gohmert’s claim ignores findings that show significantly more birds die from fossil fuel production or colliding with buildings each year.

How many birds die a year at a Mojave Desert solar plant?

This Mojave Desert solar plant kills 6,000 birds a year. Here’s why that won’t change any time soon Federal biologists say about 6,000 birds die from collisions or immolation annually while chasing flying insects around the facility’s three 40-story towers.

Solar power generation roasts birds to death