Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Bird Conservation Group Wants Tighter Controls on Wind Industry - Blades run afowl of the MBTA

Bird Conservation Group Wants Tighter Controls on Wind Industry | Wind | Rewire | KCET





The SOLUTION - the ENGINEERING SOLUTION - is to SHIFT THE PLANE from rotating the blades in the VERTICAL plane to rotating the blades in the HORIZONTAL plane.
Let's THANK animal (bird) advocates for raising this issue, but let's insist that future design integrate this concern from the outset.
Lots of blade building has already gone ahead, production machinery has been purchased, and workers have been hired and put on the assembly lines.
I raised this concern nearly a decade ago - and suggested this solution about 3-4 years ago. 
Advocates didn't see that as an issue at that time (or some merely said, yes, the blades shouldn't hurt the birds).

News and analysis about energy in California with an eye toward renewables.


Calling bird law violations inevitable at wind facilities, a group wants tighter controls on permitting. | Photo:  Changhua Coast Conservation Action/Flickr/Creative Commons License

Bird Conservation Group Wants Tighter Controls on Wind Industry