Wind Farms Do Not Harm Birds

Huge wind farm will help not harm rare birds, says Supreme Court

Article published February 9, 2015

The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom has unanimously ruled that the 370 megawatt Viking wind farm on the Shetland Islands is okay to start building. Originally, there were concerns about how the wind farm would affect the rare whimbrel seabird, but the Supreme Court says these wind farms may actually help the population.

Per year, less than four whimbrels are expected to collide with the turbines. Annually, 72-108 whimbrels are killed from other causes, so the effect of the wind farm will be very small. The Viking wind farm also has a habitat management plan in place that will help the whimbrel population.

For future wind farms, this is huge news. Anti-renewable groups consider wind turbines to be "bird mincers," and with this ruling that might not be the case. Clean energy will have a greater positive effect on the environment and bird populations than the negative effect of the physical wind turbines.

The "bird versus turbine" debate can be answered by creating stronger and more responsible development of the wind farms. Developers should take every effort to take care of the habitat before, during, and after the wind farm is built.

This ruling will not only affect the future planning of wind farms, but also the use of renewable energy in the United Kingdom. The new wind farm will become one of the most productive of its kind in the world.