The Power Environment: making wind turbines work for birds and bats

• News & Highlights

Making power green does not make it harmless. While electricity generation has started shifting towards sustainable solutions, practical problems present new issues for local ecosystems. The Power Environment looks at innovative interactions between nature and the energy industry.

Public consultations for wind power projects often hear the same question: how will this affect wildlife? The issue has followed wind generation since it first became widespread and has never truly gone away.

Still now, bird protection causes significant delays to wind projects. As an example, the 2.4GW Hornsea Three project recently committed to working with conservation groups to minimise its damage to nearby kittiwake populations. Planning around the local bird populations likely contributed to the six-month planning delay as central government reviewed plans.