Birds Killed Over Solar Panel Fields

Heat emanating from the ivanpah solar electric generating system the world s largest solar farm of its kind has allegedly killed and injured dozens of birds and other wildlife.

Birds killed over solar panel fields.

According to the audubon society these birds deaths are related to large solar photovoltaic installations in the desert which to waterfowl can appear to look like bodies of water due to the reflectivity of the panels. Federal biologists say about 6 000 birds die from collisions or immolation annually while chasing flying insects around the facility s three 40 story towers which catch sunlight from five square. Yes birds have died at solar photovoltaic projects some of them from crashing into panels or other infrastructure. This is called a lake effect birds have been found dead wounded or stranded at several solar projects in the desert.

Another problem with large solar farms is that birds sometimes mistake the glossy blue expanse of solar panels for bodies of water and try to land on them. A rare and unusual type of solar power plant that concentrates sunlight in california is accidentally killing up to 6 000 birds every year with staff reporting that the birds keep flying into its concentrated beams of sunlight and spontaneously bursting into flames. But there s hardly any science examining how many birds deaths are caused solar. Bird scientist shawn smallwood testified that one large solar farm alone the ivanpah solar panel project in california likely kills 28 380 birds annually.

One leading theory suggests birds mistake the glare from solar panels for the surface of a lake and swoop in for a landing with. The other solar farms analyzed by the investigators were of the newfangled trough and solar power. Fish and wildlife service. The link between solar facilities and bird deaths is still unclear.

This results in birds colliding with the surface of the panels.