Wind turbines are getting freakin' huge; the current blades going up are 90 meters in diameter, and do not actually "spin" fast at all. The primary incidence of birds being killed by wind turbine blades was due to two factors: first, the towers were a latticework, and brids made nests on the turbine towers, thus putting them in harm's way in the first place. Second, in Altimont, California, turbines were put up without having studies migratory patterns, and were put up in a migratory path. Those turbines are now being taken down.
Current towers (now and for years) are solid, so no nesting, and out of migratory paths. The blades "spin" slowly enough to allow birds and bats to avoid them. There have been no incidences of avian fatalities from wind turbines (other than Altimont) for years; it is currently a heavily monitored issue.
But the cage idea would in any case by completely impractical and unwieldy.
-Reverend Spith
(Wife is buyer for Vestas Wind Tech, whom does this stuff) |
