Interested in wind turbines? You might want to take a peek at the on-line book “Environmental Impacts of Wind-Energy Projects.” It was written by some important sounding people: Committee on Environmental Impacts of Wind-Energy Projects, Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology, Division on Earth and Life Studies and published by the National Research Council of the National Academies. Whew…
On-line books can be a little tough to read from a computer monitor, but a FREE on-line book should inspire you to give this one a shot. The book gives you info on the state of the art of power generation from wind turbines in the U.S. It also has chapters like “Ecological Effects of Wind-Energy Development” and “Impacts of Wind-Energy Development on Humans.” The book outlines the research on the benefits of wind-energy and it is also very frank in pointing out its limitations on being a viable option for mass power generation. It gives the facts and aids you in making your decision process.
I was interested in the impact of wind-energy on the environment, specifically the impact of turbines on birds. The chapter on “Ecological Effects” provides some interesting information:
- Bigger turbines cause fewer deaths of birds
- Bats and raptors are the most impacted
- Locations of the turbines matter (ridges, etc.)
- Structures and vehicles kills more birds than wind turbines
Not all the information is that earth-shatteringly new, but the book gives you the sources for the various studies. If you don’t have time to tackle the entire book, there is an extra long Executive Summary that is quite helpful. The “Environmental Impacts of Wind-Energy Projects” is worth your time especially if you’re considering a wind-energy investment of any kind.
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