The United States, and the world, are in a race against time to shift from greenhouse gas producing energy sources to carbon free ones, which at this point means either nuclear plants, hydroelectric power, or solar and wind farms.
Wind turbines and solar panels – which must be the main way forward – have been subject to mis- and disinformation campaigns. Alan Anderson heads the energy practice with the law firm of Polsinelli and says when he hears arguments against wind and solar, he thinks of bears and Bigfoot.
“Bears are real – if you have a bear in your campsite, that’s not good,” the Kansas City-based attorney said. “But if someone says there’s a Bigfoot in their campsite, it’s not real,” he said.
“We’re burdened by having to give factual information that’s backed by science and engineering, whereas the other side’s not. So we’re at a disadvantage,” he said.
That contrast was on display recently at a commissioners’ meeting in Madison County, outside Columbus, Ohio. The proposed Oak Run solar farm would produce 800 megawatts of clean electricity, bringing an estimated $250 million in tax revenue over the project’s 35-year life and providing dozens of long-term jobs.
It would also cover at least 4,000 acres with solar panels and require four to eight years to construct.
A crowd of neighbors was there to make sure that didn’t happen.
The panels would “take up prime farmland” and kill birds, they said. “These are eyesores,” said Heather Crum, of Somerford township. She and her husband moved to the area almost 20 years ago. “Had we known, we would have done a 360.”
Locals are waiting for the Ohio Power Siting Board to decide whether the solar farm can be built. However they’ve already taken steps to make sure no other such projects can ever come to their county. On Sept. 12, the county commission voted to prohibit all new wind and solar farms.
Across America, scenes like this one play out when large green energy projects are proposed. Some of the common objections are a matter of opinion – are wind turbines ugly or beautiful? Does a field of solar panels ruin a rural setting, or help preserve it?
But other arguments are based on false information. Here’s a breakdown of the most common ones.
The issue: Do wind turbines kill birds and bats?
The short answer: Yes, wind turbines can kill both bats and birds. But the more important question is how many they kill compared with other sources.
Buildings are estimated to kill up to 988 million birds a year and outdoor cats are an enormous danger to birds. By one estimate, free-ranging domestic cats kill between 1.3 and 4 billion birds each year.
A study to be published in 2024 found that wind farms had no statistically significant effect on bird counts. But another kind of energy did. Fracking reduced the total number of birds counted in near shale and oil production sites by 15%.
And all of that is separate from considering the impact of climate change.
The National Audubon Society has estimated that as many as two-thirds of North American bird species – 398 species – are at risk of extinction due to changes in habitat caused by global warming.
The issue: Are solar farms dangerous for birds?
The answer: Some water birds can mistake a large solar farm for a body of water and attempt to land on it, which can harm the birds. However, according to the National Audubon Society, some developers are adding special patterns to panels or using other strategies to minimize the risk of crash landings. Audubon also notes that many states require solar developers to grow native plants in and among solar farms, benefiting birds and other pollinators.
The issue: Power produced by wind and solar is just exported to people in other areas. Why should we have to produce it here?
The answer: Agricultural communities have always exported what they produce, whether it’s crops or livestock. “The beef and potatoes that ranchers and dairymen produce in Idaho don’t all stay in Idaho,” said John Robison, public lands director for the Idaho Conservation League.
People in those communities see wheat and corn and soy being grown, see combines and grain bins, and know there’s money for farmers and taxes for their communities. Solar advocates and energy developers say their task is to persuade people living near turbines or solar farms to look at them and realize it means jobs and better-funded schools and repaired roads.
The issue: Will worn-out solar panels overwhelm dumps with waste?
The answer: Improved standards for…
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