Clean Energy Survey Report: Impediments to Renewables
I want to thank the 500+ respondents out there who participated in May’s survey regarding the migration to clean energy, and offer you — and all our subscribers — the free report I wrote on the subject.
It’s true that the world is moving to clean energy, but at a far slower rate than many people would like to see. But why, exactly, is it so slow? I have my own opinions, but I’m constantly looking for accurate answers to this incredibly important question, and I’m very grateful to the more-than-500 of you who shed a heck of a lot of light on the subject.
Of course, there is a profound difference between opinion and fact. But when enough people share the same opinion, that level of agreement becomes an important fact on its own. That’s the reason for a survey like this. In some cases, perception is reality.
Here’s the report summarizing the project:
Wind power turbines in Altamont Pass threaten protected birds
Scores of golden eagles have been killed after striking the thousands of wind turbines in the Bay Area, raising questions about California’s move toward alternative power.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-adv-wind-eagles-20110606,0,4078175.story
And this is just one ‘blade’ wind farm location… of birds, bats etc.
The neighboring Buena Vista Wind Energy Project recently replaced 179 aging wind turbines with 38 newer and more powerful 1-megawatt turbines. That repowering effort has reduced fatality rates by 79% for all raptor species and 50% for golden eagles, according to a study by Shawn Smallwood, an expert on raptor ecology in wind farms.
The American Wind Energy Assn., an industry lobbying group, points out that far more birds are killed each year by collisions with radio towers, tall buildings, airplanes, vehicles and in encounters with hungry household cats.
So what… These turbines need to be designed to reduce injuries and death to wildlife. I know of an inventor that has a far more effective wind energy generating technology that does not harm birds and wildlife… Getting it funded takes smooth talking suits with pearly white teeth. See the inefficient technology they ‘sold’ to people impressed more in presentation than the technology itself.