Renewable energy at the expense of wildlife?

We fact check common myths about wind power, birds and marine mammals

How do wind turbines impact birds?
Does offshore wind harm porpoises?
Conclusion

Wind power and wildlife conservation – a contradiction?

Wind turbines that threaten birds. Offshore wind farms that disturb porpoises. Images like these have become commonplace in the discourse on renewable energy. For critics, the bottom line is simple: if we want to protect our climate, we must sacrifice wildlife. However, is this true?

In fact, climate protection and nature conservation both face the same major challenge: climate change. Extreme weathers, rising temperatures and shifting habitats threaten species worldwide – far more than any wind turbine ever could. At the same time, we need renewable energy sources to tackle this climate crisis.

The question is therefore not whether wind power and nature conservation are compatible, but how they can be best brought together. After all, a look at the facts shows that the often-cited threats are frequently less dramatic than portrayed. And in some cases, they are downright misleading.

Do wind turbines really cause mass bird deaths?

When the expansion of wind energy is discussed, one argument that often arises is the alleged large-scale killing of birds by wind turbines. For years, this idea has shaped the debate on renewable energies.

But how big is the problem in reality?

The effects of windfarms on birds have been documented and researched since the 1990s. According to the latest studies, the number of birds killed by wind turbines in Germany is between 100,000 and 250,000 per year. This figure may seem alarming at first glance, but it actually represents only about 0.05% of the total bird population.

It is worth comparing this figure with other causes of avian mortality to put it into perspective: in Germany alone, free-roaming domestic cats kill around 100 to 200 million birds every year. That is 400 to 2,000 times the number attributed to wind turbines.

RWE Image

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In the US, current studies reveal an even clearer contrast: around 150,000 birds are killed by wind turbines every year, compared to around one billion by free-roaming domestic cats. Road traffic in the US (60-80 million) and buildings with glass facades (100 million) also account for significantly more bird deaths than wind turbines.

Although wind turbines can be a factor in bird fatalities, they don’t pose a major threat when compared to other things.

Birds of prey, on the other hand, are more endangered by wind turbines than other, more common bird species. Their flight and foraging behaviours increase the risk even though they evade the blades most of the time. The protection of these more vulnerable bird species is a key focus for the wind energy sector. When selecting sites for wind farms, RWE conducts careful species protection assessments, paying particular attention to protected bird species. This ensures that wind energy is expanded in harmony with species protection.

Does offshore wind power really pose a threat to porpoises in the North Sea?

Whenever new offshore wind farms are discussed, images of endangered porpoises quickly come to mind. It is regularly claimed that the expansion of offshore wind energy is a disaster for these small whales – and that they will soon be virtually extinct in the North Sea and Baltic Sea.

But is there any truth to this claim?

To begin with, porpoises are sensitive animals that react to changes in their habitat. However, recent studies indicate that the construction and operation of offshore wind farms do not automatically lead to a decline in the porpoise population.

During the construction phase – especially when the foundations are being driven into the seabed – the noise generated can disturb the animals. Fortunately, a lot has been achieved in this area in recent years. For example, special noise protection measures, such as acoustic deterrents or the gradual increase of piling force, now ensure that porpoises can leave the construction area in good time and are not harmed, while so called bubble curtains are also used to lower the noise levels in the water column.

RWE Image

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RWE Image

Please click on the image to zoom

RWE Image

Please click on the image to zoom

And what happens once the wind farm is up and running? Observations show that offshore wind farms can even provide refuge for porpoises. That is because there are fewer ships and fishing boats operating in the zones between the turbines. For some species, this can be an advantage – similar to a marine reserve. This is also why encrusting mussels or fish start living in the wind farm footprint, which in turn also provides a better food source for the porpoises than the surrounding area.

This does not mean that the expansion of offshore wind energy should be done without care because protecting species remains essential. Today, every wind farm is subject to a thorough screening in advance. Still, the image of wind farms as ‘porpoise killers’ does not stand up to closer scrutiny.

Conclusion: Wind power and animal welfare – there’s no contradiction!

  • Wind power is not the main enemy of birds.
    Other human factors such as domestic cats, traffic and buildings are many times more dangerous.

  • Offshore wind farms can protect marine life.
    This is achieved through modern noise protection technology and quiet zones between the turbines.

  • The greatest enemy of animals is climate change.
    Wind power helps to stop it and preserve habitats in the long term.

  • Modern technology makes wind power more environmentally friendly –
    from noise-reduced construction methods to bird-friendly rotor blades.

  • Climate protection and nature conservation complement each other –
    clean energy protects the environment we want to preserve.

At RWE, we are committed to protecting nature and the environment, and we are constantly seeking ways to make wind energy as environmentally friendly as possible.
Here are a few examples:

A small bird perches on a plant with yellow flowers. Its plumage has a brown pattern.
TIC02-bird-monitoring

Bird Monitoring

The Recultivation Research Center, a division of RWE Power AG, is conducting studies in the Rhenish lignite area to protect birds and create habitats.

To the studies
A yellow underwater vehicle floats in deep water, with a long cable leading to the surface.
TIC02-seame

Project SeaMe

Using state-of-the-art underwater technology, RWE monitors the impact of offshore wind farms on the marine ecosystem and develops protective measures for marine mammals.

Learn more about SeaMe

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