One problematic feature with wind power is that birds often fly into the wind turbine blades and get struck and then break their wings and die. In fact it is so common that now some environmental activists, which have always been very pro-wind generation due to the environmental aspect of it, are having second thoughts. Some laugh it off and say well maybe the wind generators will prevent the migratory birds from spreading bird flu to local regional bird species? But really that is not very funny and the issue is real. Recently this was addressed in an online think tank and several ideas came up such as a screen like on a fan in your home or flashing lights of bright low wattage LED, which could be seen day or night. One think tank member, Joe, stated; Birds fly into my window when blinds are not on the window, if I closed them to a open angle they stay away, maybe if blades are made more visible to the birds the deaths will be reduced. Indeed what if the blades themselves were painted or coated to reflect a flashing or unpleasing light towards the birds and they would automatically fly away from them or see the spinning blade and turn. Well it just might work, in fact it is worthy of a try. Meanwhile one has to ask how many bird strikes per year would such a blade coating undertaking save? We must consider this on new wind turbine generator blade manufacturing and think on this in 2006. |
