Wind energy a threat to birds

The expansion of wind energy in South Africa could have a "cumulative impact" on the country's birds, an environmental group says

"Cumulative impacts may be the greatest threat posed by wind energy developments to avifauna [birds]," said Endangered Wildlife Trust manager Jon Smallie in a statement.

The cumulative impact referred to the effect that multiple wind farms in the same area would have on birds.

"While a particular site may be acceptable for development from an avifaunal point of view if viewed in isolation, when neighbouring areas are also subsequently developed, the combined impact of these multiple developments on certain bird species could be significant," said Birdlife SA executive director Mark Anderson.

Smallie said that while environmental impact assessments were done for individual wind farms, they did not measure the cumulative impact of multiple farms in an area.

"The environmental impact assessment process does not take these cumulative impacts into account adequately.

"We are concerned that more and more wind farms are under application, often in close proximity to one another, particularly in the Eastern and Western Cape," said Smallie.

According to the organisation, only seven commercial wind farms were in operation, making knowledge of their impact difficult to come by.