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The avian benefits of wind energy: A 2009 update

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  • Sovacool, Benjamin K.

Abstract

This article summarizes the threats that wind farms pose to birds before surveying the recent literature on avian mortality and summarizing common methodological problems with such studies. Based on operating performance in the United States and Europe, the paper then offers a preliminary calculation of the number of birds killed per kilowatt-hour kWh generated for wind electricity, fossil fuel, and nuclear power systems. The study estimates that wind farms and nuclear power stations are responsible each for between 0.3 and 0.4 fatalities per gigawatt-hour (GWh) of electricity while fossil fueled power stations are responsible for about 5.2 fatalities per GWh. Within the uncertainties of the data used, the estimate means that wind farms killed approximately 20,000 birds in the United States in 2009 but nuclear plants killed about 330,000 and fossil fueled power plants more than 14 million. The paper concludes that further study is needed, but also that fossil fueled power stations appear to pose a much greater threat to birds and avian wildlife than wind farms and nuclear power plants.

Suggested Citation

  • Sovacool, Benjamin K., 2013. "The avian benefits of wind energy: A 2009 update," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 19-24.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:49:y:2013:i:c:p:19-24
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2012.01.074
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Wang, Shifeng & Wang, Sicong, 2015. "Impacts of wind energy on environment: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 437-443.
    2. Kumar, Yogesh & Ringenberg, Jordan & Depuru, Soma Shekara & Devabhaktuni, Vijay K. & Lee, Jin Woo & Nikolaidis, Efstratios & Andersen, Brett & Afjeh, Abdollah, 2016. "Wind energy: Trends and enabling technologies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 209-224.
    3. Miao, Ruiqing & Ghosh, Prasenjit N. & Khanna, Madhu & Wang, Weiwei & Rong, Jian, 2019. "Effect of wind turbines on bird abundance: A national scale analysis based on fixed effects models," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 357-366.
    4. Zerrahn, Alexander, 2017. "Wind Power and Externalities," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 245-260.
    5. Dai, Kaoshan & Bergot, Anthony & Liang, Chao & Xiang, Wei-Ning & Huang, Zhenhua, 2015. "Environmental issues associated with wind energy – A review," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 911-921.
    6. Astiaso Garcia, Davide & Canavero, Giulia & Ardenghi, Francesco & Zambon, Martina, 2015. "Analysis of wind farm effects on the surrounding environment: Assessing population trends of breeding passerines," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 190-196.
    7. Ghosh, Prasenjit & Rong, Jian & Khanna, Madhu & Wang, Weiwei & Miao, Ruiqing, 2017. "Have They Gone with the Wind? Indirect Effects of Wind Turbines on Bird Abundance," 2017 Annual Meeting, July 30-August 1, Chicago, Illinois 258100, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    8. Ashiwani Yadav & Nitai Pal & Jagannath Patra & Monika Yadav, 2020. "Strategic planning and challenges to the deployment of renewable energy technologies in the world scenario: its impact on global sustainable development," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 22(1), pages 297-315, January.
    9. Wang, Shifeng & Wang, Sicong & Smith, Pete, 2015. "Ecological impacts of wind farms on birds: Questions, hypotheses, and research needs," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 599-607.
    10. Summerfield-Ryan, Oliver & Park, Susan, 2023. "The power of wind: The global wind energy industry's successes and failures," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 210(C).

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