Will they be avian deathtraps?

Mannar wind farm where migratory birds landfall

By Maneshka Borham

In July this year the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUSL) created serious concern among the public when it was announced that Sri Lanka is now moving towards a major power crisis if appropriate action is not taken by 2018. The PUSL warning the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) had said that under drought conditions and even with planned plant additions, Sri Lanka is set to face energy capacity shortages in 2018 and beyond. ¨Due to drought conditions, the planned plant additions too may be inadequate and new options should be perused,¨ the PUSL had said.

The looming power crisis has increased the urgency for the CEB to find other sources of energy but reliability and environmental concerns plague their choices at hand; whether it be wind power, liquefied natural gas (LNG) or solar power.

Today, non-conventional renewable energy (NCRE)amounts to only 9.9 percent of Sri Lanka’s total power generation, according to the Central Bank and the government in its energy policy has set a target to generate 20 per cent of the country’s power needs through NCRE sources by 2020.

With the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority (SLSEA) identifying the potential generation of wind power approximately 375 MW in the Mannar region, yet another wind farm has been commissioned to be built in Mannar with the Department of Coast Conservation recently giving the go-ahead and clearing the project of any potential negative environmental impact.

Despite requiring significant investment, wind power is, perhaps, one of the cleanest forms of energy produced, not requiring the burning of fossil fuels, and is renewable due to constant availability making it an ideal renewable energy option for Sri Lanka. According to the Intergovernmental panel on Climate Change compared with other low carbon sources, wind turbines have the lowest global warming potential per unit of electricity generated.

However, despite the form of energy generation being environmentally friendly, environmentalists in the country have now raised grave concerns regarding the proposed Mannar wind farm due to its location and its effect on the migrant bird population arriving in the island.

Location

The adverse connection between wind farms and birds is a common problem and perhaps the main criticism faced by wind farms the world over with large spinning turbines being called bird deathtraps, as they cut through the flying space of birds, turning at over 300 kilometres per hour resulting in a large number of bird deaths annually. While the actual numbers are a point of contention, it is believed bird mortality at wind energy facilities can vary, depending on the location, construction, and height, with some facilities reporting zero bird fatalities, and others as high as 9.33 birds per turbine per year according to one research report.

The location chosen by the CEB for the wind power plant lies on the southern shore of Mannar island between the Adam´s Bridge Marine National Park and the Vankalai Sanctuary, a declared International Ramsar Wetland. According to leading environmentalists, and the Ceylon Birds Club, Mannar Island is an internationally recognised Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA), consisting of wetlands and nature reserves, home to over 190 species of birds, and therefore, constructing such a wind farm could contribute to a large number of avoidable avian fatalities.

According to the Ceylon Birds’ Club Joint Secretary Kithsiri Gunawardene the main issue is with the locality of the wind farm he says, adding that research and historical records of the club has proved this area is in fact where migratory birds first land during their long and arduous journey to escape the harsh winter of their home countries, from September to April.

Senior Lecturer of the Wayamba University Dr. Sevvandi Jayakody confirms this. ¨The proposed wind farm is obstructing a well known route taken by migratory birds,¨ she said.

According to experts, yearly, migratory birds take two main routes to the country, one being the route from Rameshwaram, India over the cluster of islands known as Adam’s Bridge to reach the Vankalai bird sanctuary in Mannar. This, according to environmentalists, has, therefore, contributed to the increase of bird population, with birds from countries such as Russia, Belarus, China and Mongolia using the route to migrate. While over one million birds enter the island through this route annually, environmentalists claim the proposed wind farm will be hazardous and claim many fatalities, if built on the proposed site.

Gunawardene says, Mannar is a sensitive and important site for seabirds such as, the Crab Plover, Flamingos, Bridled Tern and the Roseate Tern. Ornithologists say, many migratory birds to Urumalai in Mannar landfall during night time before going on to Vankalai. According to Gunawardene, Sri Lanka being the last point of travel for many migratory birds, the construction of such a farm, while obstructing the path of birds who are fatigued, having travelled thousands of kilometres to reach Sri Lanka, will cause disastrous consequences. “The proposed wind farm is along this landfall area,” he says.

Initial report

Environmentalists have also expressed their displeasure at the Initial Environment Examination (IEE) by a team led by Professor in Zoology Devaka Weerakoon, University of Colombo. According to Sajeewa Chamikara of the Environment Conservation Trust, the report is inadequate to understand the environmental situation in the area. “Much data is lacking from the report. All areas of concern have not been looked into,” he said.

“The birds landfall during the night and do this over several months of the year,” says Gunawardene. “The truth should not be suppressed as it can have unpleasant consequences. When the farm is built, it will not be commercially viable to dismantle it if found to adversely affect the animals,” he says.

According to Dr. Sevvandi Jayakody the issue also brings into perspective the scientific methodology and processes used in creating reports needed to give clearance to various projects. ¨Repeatedly we see that such erroneous reports are the main cause for serious environmental issues in the country” she said.

Legal Aspect

¨The IEE claims, 18 hours was spent at each of the six assigned vantage points to collect data,¨ she says questioning if this time is adequate to collect data despite the report taking over two years to be completed. While the report then claims that bird population during migration and other times remains the same, Dr. Jayakody says she is confused as to how this conclusion was arrived at when only a short time was spent at each point to collect the needed data. ¨The data collected by the Ceylon Bird Club proves otherwise and shows a large increase of birds in the area during migration periods,¨ she said.

Earlier, CEB Chairman Anura Wijepala assured that proper procedure will be adhered to during the project. “We chose Mannar as it is one of the best spots for wind power generation,” he said adding that Mannar along with several other sites have been chosen for proposed wind farms due to their suitability in a move to increase non-conventional renewable energy generation methods in the country.

“The EIA has not been concluded. Once it is done, we will submit it to the public for their opinions and concerns,” he said in June this year.

“The CEB has no mandate to work against the law” Wijepala said adding that the CEB will at all times comply with the environmental laws of Sri Lanka.

However according to environmentalists despite assuring an EIA, the Coast Conservation Department has now approved the project based on the IEE done.

According to Environmentalist and Lawyer Jagath Gunawardena, rightfully such approval should be granted by the Department of Wildlife protection under the Flora and Fauna Protection Ordinance if any development project is being constructed within a mile’s radius from a national park, and in this instance the Adamś Bridge marine National Park. ¨However despite this the Coast Conservation Department was named as the approving authority¨ he said adding that this created loopholes to get the project approved.

Legally the Coast Conservation Department can approve a project after calling for an IEE or an Environment Impact Assessment EIA (EIA) under the Coast Conservation Act under the Coast Conservation Act. However, unlike under the Flora and Fauna Ordinance legally the Coast Conservation Act does not require the approving authority to seek public opinion on the matter allowing the project to be approved sans any opposition. According to Gunawardene as required the report has not been submitted to review by the Coast Conservation Advisory Board, a serious lapse on the part of the department.

Alternatives

While reiterating that they are in support of renewable energy projects, Gunawardene says their request is that the wind farm should be constructed in an area between Silawathurai and Arippu. “There is ample wind and no harm to the migratory patterns of birds in these areas,” he says adding that it would be the ideal win-win situation.

“Birds protect the equilibrium of the environment by keeping insects that multiply fast in control,” Gunawardene says adding that they are the cleansers of the environment.