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California Solar Plant Kills 30 Birds an Hour
The workers call them “streamers.” Hapless birds that fly over a massive California solar array, only to be immolated in midair, leaving a brief plume of smoke and a medium-well carcass.
BrightSource Energy’s state-of-the-art plant in the Mojave Desert is the largest solar thermal power plant on earth — and the deadliest.
Federal wildlife officials counted an average of one “streamer” every two minutes. The energy company estimates that only 1,000 birds are scorched each year, while a prominent environmental group puts the number at 28,000.
Federal and state biologists call the number of deaths significant, based on sightings of birds getting singed and falling, and on retrieval of carcasses with feathers charred too severely for flight.
Ivanpah officials dispute the source of the so-called streamers, saying at least some of the puffs of smoke mark insects and bits of airborne trash being ignited by the solar rays.
Wildlife officials who witnessed the phenomena say many of the clouds of smoke were too big to come from anything but a bird, and they add that they saw “birds entering the solar flux and igniting, consequently become a streamer.”
U.S. Fish and Wildlife officials say they want a death toll for a full year of operation.
Given the apparent scale of bird deaths at Ivanpah, authorities should thoroughly track bird kills there for a year, including during annual migratory seasons, before granting any more permits for that kind of solar technology, said [Garry] George, of the Audubon Society.
The facility has concerned environmentalists in the past, as its construction bladed over 3,500 acres of virgin desert. Being California, the state government required BrightSource to relocate a bunch of desert gopher tortoises to the tune of $22 million. The installation also endangers pilots flying the busy Los Angeles–Las Vegas corridor; they can be dazzled by the intense light.
It remains to be seen if regulators will stop the plant’s operation, but at least the world’s largest bug zapper should educate environmentalists and green energy boosters.
For too long, the public has been told that energy production is less a matter of physics than one of morality. Renewable energy like solar and wind are sold as “good” while reliable energy sources like oil and coal are “evil.” Methods like hydroelectric, nuclear and natural gas all were initially sold as clean and green, but became demonized the instant they turned a profit or revealed unintended consequences.
Per Thomas Sowell, “there are no solutions, only trade-offs.” Oil and coal are dirty, but they’re cheap and efficient. Dams are dangerous to build, but reliable and prevent flooding downstream. They also create man-made reservoirs, which environmentalists alternately love and hate.
Nuclear produces vast amounts of energy and emits only water vapor, but holds the risk of radiation and long-term storage. Currently, solar and wind produce minimal energy at high cost — both in financial terms and, apparently, avian longevity rates. Yet both are renewable and are a great option for certain applications (especially off-the-grid living).
Hopefully, BrightSource Energy will solve the “streamer” issue and help make solar a viable energy source for the future. But all energy consumers should heed the advice of expert Thomas Conroy:
Published in GeneralWhen it comes to powering the country’s grids, “diversity of technology … is critical,” Conroy said. “Nobody should be arguing let’s be all coal, all solar,” all wind, or all nuclear. “And every one of those technologies has a long list of pros and cons.”
Casey,
Why must they take away my favorite toys.
http://youtu.be/7N6Wf7EX1K0?list=PLDS7_2kWlmrFN3W9QalyQMnPyQ5OCYyM5
Regards,
Marvin the Martian
I’m sitting here trying to think of the last time I actually needed a bird. I mean, it’s not like my wife and I had to frantically run out to the bird store. I can’t recall the last time I said, “gee, if only we had a bird available, that would solve the problem…” Obviously, birds are luxuries we may not be able to afford anymore.
I realize this may be difficult for some of you to hear.
Don’t worry. If solar power ever becomes economically viable the Gaians will turn on it like a cornered rat. The only good energy source is an energy source that depends on federal subsidies.
I heard they set these up so they could kill the little birds, after the wind turbines are pretty effective on the big birds, like eagles . Best kept secret in California is probably whether any condors have been killed .
This is sad but certainly not the issue . These wind and solar plants are incredibly inefficient uses of capital and acreage . It is a boondoggle from top to bottom supporting some of the most dubious science reporting in ages . All the carbon savings in history are obliterated with one large volcanic event throwing an exponential mulititude of much worse toxins into the atmosphere in the space of a week or so. Like Iceland in 2010 .
KC,
There is a solution for those willing to think outside the box. If you could spray the birds with a special mixture before they fly through the solar plant. Everyone might enjoy the results.
Regards,
Jim
I don’t know if this project will pan out or not. It may very well cost more to build and maintain than the value of the electricity it will make. But it’s the first of it’s kind and it may turn out to work, or lead us to a modified design that will work. I’m not in favor of subsidizing energy production that is proven to be unviable, but should we shut the door on any experimentation in non-fossil fuel energy production?
Fossil fuels are great, but horses and buggies were considered good enough for eons, too. The very first automobiles were pretty feeble machines but eventually they got better and totally displaced horses. If (and it’s a big IF, I know) this type of solar plant can get us cost-effective electricity from land that is useless and unproductive, isn’t that a good thing?
Randy,
As one of the chief pranksters on this post I guess I should answer. Yes it’s a good thing. However, massively subsidized projects of this type and I was first introduced to this as a process control sales engineer in the late 70s, notoriously innovate just up to where the subsidy takes over. They are never ready for the actual market and always are playing on people’s hopes that this time it will be different. The actual market demands that this time it is different or you are given the name failure.
The other irritation is we have just seen Harry Reid and company rip off ranchers in a huge land grab based on the fact that the ranchers grazing of cattle was killing turtles! Maybe the ranchers could have kept their ranches and I could have offered a recipe for turtle soup instead.
I think there is just a little hypocrisy being exposed here. Sorry, but I am enjoying it immensely.
Regards,
Jim