A New Plan for Offshore Wind Research Will Help Prioritize Seabirds and Other Wildlife
January 25, 2024 —
The RWSC science plan will guide offshore wind and wildlife studies along the East Coast.
Birds and Clean Energy
Responsibly sited and operated clean energy will help protect birds from climate change.
Transitioning to clean energy reduces pollution, slows the rise in global temperatures, and provides the pathway to a more sustainable future. This is crucial for frontline communities and the hundreds of bird species that face devastating range loss and extinction due to climate change. That’s why Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ supports utility-scale clean energy and transmission development.
Projects must be sited and operated with birds and people in mind. Thankfully, there are well-tested solutions informed by science that can be implemented to alleviate risks. Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ works with clean energy developers, local communities, federal and state agencies, and conservation partners to ensure the least impact on bird habitat and migration routes.
The climate threat facing birds is urgent. To achieve a future where both people and wildlife thrive, we need to rapidly build out photovoltaic (PV) solar and onshore and offshore wind infrastructure – as well as transmission lines to bring that power to the people who need it. By advocating for responsible and community-centered planning, we can protect birds from the worst impacts of climate change while preserving the places we all need.
100
Gigawatts of renewable energy generation and transmission responsibly sited by 2028
~75
Million homes powered by 100 GW
~340
Million people provided with power from 100 GW
Did You Know?
- Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ Washington helped lead state efforts to identify utility-scale PV solar siting locations that present the to wildlife and communities.
- An ultraviolet light-based system for transmission lines at Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ’s Rowe Sanctuary has dramatically reduced Sandhill Crane collisions.
- Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ has worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on permits under the Endangered Species Act that avoid harm to California Condors at wind projects.
What We're Doing
1
Engaging on the responsible expansion of renewable energy.
Staff advocate for policies, planning, and projects that effectively avoid, minimize, and mitigate impacts on birds.
2
Calling for the rapid deployment of well-sited transmission.
To power a clean energy future, we need to scale up transmission capacity while implementing bird-friendly solutions outlined in our Birds and Transmission report.
3
Weighing in on enforcement of federal laws and permitting policies for bird species protected by them.
Improvements to clean energy permitting would strengthen bird protections under the Endangered Species Act, Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, and Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
Birds and Transmission: Building the Grid Birds Need
Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ’s 2023 report lays out the need for faster transmission deployment, as well as responsible siting and operation, and shares the latest science on minimizing impacts through bird-friendly solutions.
Learn more
How Clean Energy Can Benefit Climate, Communities, And Conservation
Conservation groups can make sure clean energy and transmission projects are responsibly sited and operated.
Learn More
What Offshore Wind Energy Can Teach Us About Seabirds
Seabirds spend much of their lives far offshore in the vast ocean, making them hard to study. This gap in knowledge might be starting to change...
Read about it
Clean Energy News
A New Study in Wyoming Will Test Whether Black Paint Helps Birds Avoid Wind Turbines
December 27, 2023 —
The research aims to evaluate the effects of contrast painting on wind turbine rotor blades in the largest such study yet.
Get Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ in Your Inbox
Let us send you the latest in bird and conservation news.