The majestic Indian bustard is massive, making it slow to maneuver in flight and it has poor frontal vision. On the flat grasslands of India’s western borders, it often ends up in fatal collisions with power lines.
But the wide-open region that’s home to the rare bird is also an ideal location for wind and solar projects.
Now, in an effort to save the great Indian bustard from flying into power lines, a Supreme Court order is asking for transmission lines in much of the region to go underground. Power companies say the directive could cost an estimated $4 billion in extra expenses, and jeopardize nearly 20 gigawatts of awarded solar and wind projects.
The companies say it could set back India’s climate goals, which depend heavily on the availability of open land like the bustard’s domain for putting up solar panels and wind turbines.
