Birds and wind turbines live in harmony

 

Lake Ostrowo wind farm has one major advantage over other means of generating electricity in Poland. It produces no carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas contributing to climate change. And it has no other serious environmental side effects.

 

In a single year of operation, the 17 wind turbines will save the emission of 80,000 tonnes of CO₂.

 

The wind farm has also been successfully integrated into an area rich in bird life. Wolin falls within a Natura 2000 area; its forests, marshes, peat bogs and lakes are all strongly protected because of the fauna and flora which flourish there. The main flight paths of birds along the Baltic Coast cross the island of Wolin and 230 species of birds have been recorded.

 

The construction of the wind farm was allowed because several studies showed that the turbines would fit in to the landscape without disturbing the observed activity of the birds. Now it is operating, regular checks are kept on bird movements around the turbines, including with radar. “The results of the monitoring show that the impact on birds is extremely limited,” says Arne Levorsen from the wind farm owners, DONG Energy.