A new tool could help to avoid conflicts with wildlife as utilities and developers race to replace coal-fired power plant with solar farms.
Scientists at The Nature Conservancy discovered that there is enough land in the United States to support almost 10 times the nation’s current wind energy capacity. This was in spite of the fact that it has minimal impact on sensitive habitats.
Nicholas Miller, Wisconsin director, science and strategy, for The Nature Conservancy said that Site Renewables RightThis tool allows communities and developers to promote the clean energy transition while minimizing damage to habitats and species threatened by climate change.
Miller stated that to address climate change, we need renewable energy. If not placed properly, solar and/or wind facilities can cause harm to wildlife and habitats.
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According to a Princeton University 2019 study, this region covers 19 states and is expected to host approximately three quarters of all new renewable energies.
The Nature Conservancy states that this area is also home North America’s largest intact, temperate grassland. This vital, but largely unprotected, habitat supports iconic species like bison, eagles, and prairie chickens.
The tool can identify areas up to 120,000 square miles, which is more than Arizona’s, where renewable energy could be found with minimal impact on wildlife.
The Wisconsin tool identified more than 2,840 acres of land where renewable energy resources could have been placed to avoid conflicts between wildlife and humans. This could support 30x the current state wind capacity.
The map is primarily focused upon wind energy rather than solar energy. Wisconsin is the main focus of renewable energy development. Wisconsin has lower wind speeds and more geographic constraints than neighboring states.
“Continued construction of the powerline in the face of the difficulties amounts to little more that an orchestrated train wreck,” a federal judge stated.
The map does not identify areas that are suitable for solar development. It highlights areas that are biologically sensitive and should be avoided. Miller said that while solar farm proposals have caused heated debates in communities across the state and are still being discussed, solar siting tends be more site-specific then wind.
He said that it is difficult to predict where solar will go on a landscape scale.
The project is the 10th such solar project to be considered by Wisconsin regulators. It highlights tensions as Wisconsin utilities attempt to replace coal-fired electricity with clean energy.
Sarah Mills, University of Michigan researcher who studies rural communities’ impact on renewable energy development, points out that the tool does not accurately map the elements that are often driving renewable energy siting. These include access to the transmission network and land availability. Zoning and acceptance by the public.
Mills stated that it will be a useful science based tool for questions about wildlife, even if they have more to do the acceptance of the public than deep-seated concern about wildlife.
Miller
Miller stated that The Nature Conservancy will share the map and information with utility companies, wind and solar developers, and corporations looking to build renewable energy projects.
He stresses that the tool is intended to streamline the process and prevent potential conflicts.
Miller stated that it is a starting point for a discussion about where and how to sit. It is not a tool for making decisions, but a support tool.