Offshore wind turbines will be painted black in an attempt to stop bird collisions and deaths, according to reports. Donald Trump is said to have become fixated by numbers dying in the North Sea and raised concerns with Sir Keir Starmer in December. Thousands of seabirds each year are estimated to be killed by turbines which are set to increase under the Government’s plan to boost renewable energy, the Daily Telegraph says.
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Academic studies conclude some are attracted to the blades and “risk colliding with the rotors or turbines, leading to increased mortality”. Although exact total deaths is difficult to quantify, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs launched a pilot scheme to paint wind turbines black to stop it happening.
Trump’s team are said to be furious details of a call with the Prime Minister appeared in The Times newspaper around Christmas. When Sir Keir tried to stick to subjects such as defence and his Washington visit starting on Thursday, the US President veered off topic about “windmills” - Trump’s nickname for them - and their effect on avian wildlife.
Defra’s scheme will run for four years and test a variety of paint jobs, including striped turbines and all-black design. A previous study in Norway found that painting a wind turbine black reduced bird collisions by 70 per cent. After taking office last month, Trump signed an executive order pausing all wind energy projects in the US.
“The wind blows, and then it doesn’t blow,” he later told Fox News. “The things cost a fortune. They’re made in China, and they kill the birds, and they’re horrible.”. A government spokesman said: “Our mission for clean homegrown power will make our country energy secure, protect consumers, create jobs and tackle the climate crisis.
“This will be delivered, in part, by rapidly increasing the UK’s offshore wind capacity. “The UK is also home to many globally significant populations of seabirds. This pilot aims to test whether turbine blade painting will reduce bird collisions - helping ensure nature recovery goes hand-in-hand with making Britain a clean energy superpower.”.
