And it’ll only cost another $500,000 (via Tom Nelson)
(LA Times) Now, in what has become one of the most critical conservation issues in the state, wind farms are considering using radar units and experimental telemetry systems that they hope will avoid harming birds by identifying incoming species early enough to switch off the massive turbines and then — to minimize costs and maximize profits — turn them back on again as quickly as possible.
“Renewable energy operators are coming around to the view that they have to do something,” said Gary Andrews, general manager and chief executive of De Tect Inc., a leading manufacturer of avian radar systems. If a protected species is killed at a wind farm that has a bird tracking system, prosecutors and others could conclude that the operator had done everything it could to prevent harm to wildlife, Andrews said.
Radar systems are expensive, with no guarantee they will perform. One problem is differentiating among avian species. Condors, for example, soar thousands of feet high while hunting for carrion. Golden eagles swoop fast and close to the ground. Migrating songbirds fly low in strong headwinds.
A standard De Tect avian radar unit sells for about $500,000 and works best in flat, uncluttered expanses devoid of trees and bushes that could overwhelm the telltale blip of, say, a condor. In mountainous terrain such as the Tehachapis, multiple radar units are recommended — some to look into valleys, others to look out of them. Additional “bells and whistles” include telescopic video attachments capable of discerning an eagle from a turkey vulture, Andrews said.
The question is, is that$500k for a wind farm, or per turbine? They’re also planning to test a $3 million radar system to protect birds from turbines. Isn’t it funny how the energy solutions from Warmists, who call themselves environmentalists, tend to b really bad for the environment? Oh, and expensive.
