The Department of Energy has just discovered the $737 million dollar solar farm they built with taxpayer money comes with an added bonus: It also fries birds and anything else in it's trajectory.

According to the website Progressives Today, as well as Nature World News, the Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project located near Tonapah, Nevada, has begun the testing phase towards eventually delivering what officials say would be 110 megawatts of power - enough to power about 75,000 homes.

However, some unforseen design issues have also turned it into a giant microwave. According to Nature World News:

“About two hours into the test, engineers and biologists on site started noticing “streamers” – trails of smoke and steam caused by birds flying directly into the field of solar radiation. What moisture was on them instantly vaporized, and some instantly burst into flames – at least, until they began to frantically flap away. An estimated 130 birds were injured or killed during the test.”

Apparently the farm's reflective panels direct all the energy collected into a concentrated area about 1,200 feet above the ground, which is right in the flight path of many birds.  The brightness of the site attracts bugs, which then attract birds.

The birds that were wet gave off puffs of steam before literally bursting into flames; those that were not wet instantly "exploded".

Biologists called the issue "significant,"  pointing to the known deaths of at least 130 various types of birds in only a two-hour test.  They question the long term effects of running the farm for hours at a time, saying the environmental impact could be catastrophic.

Maybe if they could teach chickens to fly,  this solar farm might be put to good use...

To stay on top of the latest news, information and more, click on the button below to listen to Newstalk 870 live on your computer or laptop!

More From 870 AM KFLD