Original air date - A Question of Balance :: 7:30pm 3rd Apr 2018

Wildlife impacts from solar and wind farms: Dr Arthur White, president of the NSW Frog and Tadpole Study Group (FATS) discusses the impact of wind and solar farms on wildlife. Windfarms have been around longer than solar farms (in Europe for more than 30 years) and animal studies include effects of noise and risk of animal strikes on turbine blades. Solar farms are of the large array format, and water birds sometimes land on them, mistaking the sparkling panels for a body of water while flying across them. Insects are also attracted to the solar panels and that attracts a whole group of other animals to the site. With the right planning the impacts of wind and solar farms on wildlife can be minimised. Even industry has decided that renewable energy is the most economical option for the future.