Wind farms mostly benign

Wind energy is the fastest-growing electricity source on the planet today, and for good reason: it is becoming increasingly competitive with traditional electricity sources and has a very low environmental impact. However, comments like “people love their windmills — but not in their backyard, and not when they kill thousands of birds,” by Basil Botha (T.N.M., Nov. 11-17/05) demonstrate that there is still a lack of understanding about wind technology.

While birds are occasionally struck by wind turbines, they are in fact much less of a threat to birds than power lines, high-rise office buildings, cars, bay windows, and particularly, house cats. A recent study on a large wind farm in southern Alberta found that, on average, a bird collided with a turbine once every five years. Similar results have been found in the Yukon where Cash Minerals (of which Botha is president and CEO) wishes to develop a coal property. A study on the first wind turbine in Whitehorse, Yukon, found that a single bird was killed in a 5-year monitoring period when it flew into the fence around the machine — not the machine itself.

There have indeed been cases of poorly sited wind farms in bird corridors, but these are the exception, particularly as the industry grows and becomes more familiar with best practices. While no energy generation system is zero-impact, wind energy certainly has a much lower net environmental impact than most traditional systems, and a great deal of research and development need to be done before coal plants become as environmentally benign as wind farms.

Wind energy and thermal electrical energy (such as coal) serve different roles in a power grid and are not mutually exclusive. Coal power plants are used to provide electricity for the base loads in a system, while wind energy projects typically displace variable energy requirements.

Perhaps it has not escaped your notice that mines located in isolated areas are starting to understand that wind energy can lower their operating costs by displacing diesel power. The Donlin Creek gold mine, under development in Alaska, is planning a wind farm on-site, and we understand that a diamond mine in the Northwest Territories is conducting feasibility studies on wind energy options. This is being done because it makes economic sense. Wind energy’s maturing technology offers an opportunity for mines to reduce their environmental impact and save money.

Tim Weis

Sustainable Communities Group

Pembina Institute

Edmonton, Alta.