Abstract
Issue:
- Wind turbines may impact wildlife (especially birds and bats) and habitats.
- The discussion of wind’s impact on wildlife began in Altamont Wind Resource Area, California, in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
- Small and distributed projects often face challenges on this issue as well.
- Reducing challenges to project development accelerates deployment of appropriate wind energy (Wind Program focus area).
- Supporting the 20% wind energy by 2030 initiative (Advanced Energy Initiative).
- Accelerating wind energy capacity growth/developing domestic energy options (Energy Policy Act of 2005).
- Real or perceived wildlife impacts can be a challenge for development.
- Misinformation on potential of impacts is rampant.
- Impacts are species- and habitat- specific.
- Impacts are site-specific; micrositing is key to reducing impacts.
- Potential impacts at a large wind farm will likely be different than at a single, small wind turbine.
- Developers of distributed projects must still be aware of potential issues.