Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) claims birds spontaneously combust as they fly over solar farms in an interview bashing the green new deal.
On OANN Thursday Gohmert pointed out exactly what he believes to be the problem with green energy–birds exploding in flames as they fly over solar farms.
“In another part of that green deal is the huge solar farm that they have out in the border of California and Nevada. Thousands of acres of concave mirrors that magnifies the sun toward three towers……they weren’t anticipating that there would be hundred and thousands of what they would call ‘flamers’ because when the birds fly through if they survive the windmills then they hit the magnified sun, explode in flames and then they go bird guts all over the mirrors, so that that takes one cleaning up. This is the green stuff that’s just out of control and its gonna bring the nation down.”
American solar farms do have a bird problem.
Concentrating solar plants, like Ivanpah Solar plant in California generates electricity by focusing solar rays to transform a fluid into steam. That steam then turns a turbine to power a generator.
Some concentrated solar installations arrange mirrors that point to a central tower, and the concentrated solar towers create an incredibly high-heat area that’s dangerous for anything to touch.
What’s worse, the light beam and surrounding mirrors actually attract birds and the insects they like to eat.
Federal biologists say about 6,000 birds die from collisions or immolation annually while chasing flying insects around the three 40-story towers at the Ivanpah Solar Plant in California’s Mojave Desert, according to the Los Angeles Times.
It is such a huge problem that in 2013 a group of utilities, academics, and environmental organizations came together to form the Avian Solar Working Group to develop strategies to mitigate avian deaths at solar facilities around the US.
Large scale Photovoltaic (PV) solar installation, though good for the environment is unsafe for birds, which is why Audubon, the national society which protects birds and their habitats opposed to any further construction of concentrated solar towers.
But to say that solar panels, and not climate change will bring the nation down is a stretch.
