solar energy studied after birds ignite in midair

[mark handler]

Aug. 18, 2014

New forms of solar energy studied after birds ignite in midair Solar plant in Mojave Desert works with concentrated sun rays

By Don Bishop

http://www.krmg.com/news/news/local/new-forms-solar-energy-studied-after-birds-ignite-/ng4mB/

Birds are igniting in midair due to a new form of solar energy.

California's energy commission is studying the issue of bird deaths at a new kind of solar plant in the Mojave Desert that works with concentrated sun rays.

The plant is owned by Google and two California energy companies.

BrightSource Energy and NRG Solar say they are studying methods of reducing bird deaths.

This October 2013 photo provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service shows a burned MacGillivray's Warbler that was found at the Ivanpah solar plant in the California Mojave Desert. Workers at a state-of-the-art new solar plant have a word for the birds that fly over the plant’s five-mile field of mirrors, “streamers,” for the puff of smoke as the birds ignite in mid-air and fall singed to the ground. (AP Photo/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

 

[mjesse]

It's the Archimedes death ray. Stupid birds.

All energy has its price

 

[Mr. Inspector]

Pre cooked birds, just need a little salt. Will it put Col. Sanders out of business?

 

[Frank]

I toured that plant a couple years back while it was under construction and it struck me that with a radar and computer reprograming it could be used as an antiaircraft or anti satilite weapon. How many bird deaths is an oil refinery or coal fired power plant allowed?

 

[tmurray]

I toured that plant a couple years back while it was under construction and it struck me that with a radar and computer reprograming it could be used as an antiaircraft or anti satilite weapon. How many bird deaths is an oil refinery or coal fired power plant allowed?

'bout 7,500; http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/7-500-songbirds-killed-at-canaport-gas-plant-in-saint-john-1.1857615

 

[mjesse]

This -

"Although this is certainly a tragic event and it's shocking to see 7,500 dead birds, it’s a drop in the bucket in terms of the number of birds that are killed from human actions every year," said McAlpine.

 

[steveray]

It's just a flesh wound.......

 

[Mech]

it’s a drop in the bucket in terms of the number of birds that are killed from human actions every year," said McAlpine.

Like feeding people?

 

[conarb]

Like feeding people?

I've never understood that, we are in a drought because we shut the pumps down because they kill tiny fish that salmon eat, seems to me if you want to protect the salmon stop killing them and eating them.

Or, the birds get chopped up in wind turbines:

The APWRA was established in 1982 and contains 5,400 wind turbines. The APWRA has the highestnumbers and rates of raptor kills of any wind facility in the world. The bird kill fiasco at Altamont

Pass is a result of poor planning that allowed wind turbines to be built along a major raptor migration

corridor in an area with high wintering concentrations of raptors and in the heart of the highest

concentration of golden eagles in North America. Wind turbines at Altamont Pass kill an estimated

880 to 1,300 birds of prey each year, including up to 116 golden eagles, 300 red-tailed hawks, 380

burrowing owls, and additional hundreds of other raptors including kestrels, falcons, vultures, and

other owl species. The APWRA is an ecological sink for golden eagles and other raptor species and

may be having significant impacts on populations of birds that are rare and reproduce infrequently.¹

¹ http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CEIQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biologicaldiversity.org%2Fcampaigns%2Fprotecting_birds_of_prey_at_altamont_pass%2Fpdfs%2Ffactsheet.pdf&ei=r2X3U47bCauWjAKR5YGABw&usg=AFQjCNH2Onx7U1P2rZIcpfPQ74SdcEtYvA&sig2=iR4N-0Rb9pmwTiu2pmlyYQ&bvm=bv.73373277,d.cGE

 

[MASSDRIVER]

I've never understood that, we are in a drought because we shut the pumps down because they kill tiny fish that salmon eat, seems to me if you want to protect the salmon stop killing them and eating them.Or, the birds get chopped up in wind turbines:

¹ http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CEIQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biologicaldiversity.org%2Fcampaigns%2Fprotecting_birds_of_prey_at_altamont_pass%2Fpdfs%2Ffactsheet.pdf&ei=r2X3U47bCauWjAKR5YGABw&usg=AFQjCNH2Onx7U1P2rZIcpfPQ74SdcEtYvA&sig2=iR4N-0Rb9pmwTiu2pmlyYQ&bvm=bv.73373277,d.cGE

The Injuns are already lobbying to release more cold water into the Trinity to support their tribal fishing activities.

Brent.