Conservationists are fighting against a planned wind farm to be built by Australian firm Fortescue Future Industries. 

An environmental impact study for a planned 65-windmill farm in Chile found that up to four rare Andean condors could collide with the massive structures each year.

Fortescue plans to invest US$8.4 billion (AU$13.3 billion) over a decade in a project to produce green hydrogen for export in Argentina, powered by a windmill farm that takes advantage of the strong, reliable winds of Patagonia.

The government of President Alberto Fernández has celebrated the project, despite neither the company nor the provincial government of Rio Negro having carried out an environmental impact study. 

Fortescue says it “is committed to evaluating the social, environmental, engineering, and economic considerations before committing to the development” of any project, which would include consultations with local organisations to “guarantee the protection of the local species such as the Andean Condor”.

Fortescue says it has decided to not measure winds at the proposed site until the province finishes its environmental plan.

The Rio Negro provincial government now says Fortescue has launched a 12-month effort to analyse the environmental and social impacts of the project.

More details are accessible here.