Do renewables offer non-emissions benefits?
The non-emissions environmental problems posed by renewables may be greater than those connected with fossil fuels. For instance: The manufacture of equipment for wind and solar involve significant toxic waste disposal problems. Geothermal sites frequently have toxic waste emissions and may also produce corrosive acids that destroy machinery. Geothermal has high water usage requirements that may threaten threats wildlife and habitat. Some geothermal-rich areas, such as California’s Napa Valley, also have agricultural or other economic interests that may compete for use of this water. Bird kills have been widely documented as resulting from solar equipment and wind turbines. One wind facility, Altamont Pass in California, has earned notoriety for its threats to endangered species–39 golden eagles per year killed, out of a population of only 500 breeding pairs in the U.S. Kestrels and red-tailed hawks are also at risk. The National Audubon Society has called for a moratorium on wind pow
