When BrightSource Energy first started construction on the Ivanpah solar thermal plant in the Mojave Desert, it came under scrutiny because of the project s impact on the desert tortoise.
Now that Ivanpah is operational, there s another issue: burning birds.
Chris Clarke, a reporter at WCET, has been writing about this for years.
BrightSource pushed back on Wednesday, saying in a blog post that its solar technology, which can impact birds passing through the concentrated sunlight, or solar flux, should be viewed in context:
- An estimated 1.4-3.7 billion birds are killed each year by cats;
- As many as 980 million birds crash into buildings annually;
- 174 million birds die from power lines every year;
- Up to 340 million birds perish from vehicles/roads;
- Approximately 6.8 million birds die flying into communications towers;
- As many as one million die annually in oil and gas fluid waste pits; and
- Up to 330,000 die each year from wind turbines
The big question is what growing concern over bird deaths means for Palen, BrightSource s proposed project in Riverside County, and the California Energy Commission.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/AP Photo
A burned MacGillivray s Warbler that was found at the Ivanpah solar plant during a visit by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in October 2013.