Evaluating the environmental effects of renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar, and hydropower, is critical to the growth, development, and maintenance of these vital clean energy systems. Developers, operators, regulators, and other stakeholders often consider information provided by advanced monitoring technologies, such as acoustic telemetry “tracking tags” to understand animal behavior, home ranges, and habitat; fish passage efficiencies and survival; and the efficacy of energy system hazard deterrents. The use of telemetry tracking tags can shed light on animal behavior and movements to improve the sustainability of hydropower dams, and wind and solar farms, by providing information to avoid, reduce, or mitigate impacts to sensitive species.
On Wednesday, May 24th, experts from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), H.T. Harvey & Associates, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory will host a webinar discussing the latest advancements in tag development and applications. Information on PNNL’s lab and pilot testing with the miniaturized tag designed for juvenile American eel and juvenile Pacific lamprey will be provided as well as discussion about potential applications of this tag to studies of other small and sensitive fish species. This webinar will also explain how such tags could be leveraged from the hydropower industry and applied to bat and bird telemetry studies. General information will also be provided on how data from both aquatic and terrestrial tagged animals can be used to meet regulations and reduce the impacts of renewable energy sources on the environment.
Participants will hear from:
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Timothy Welch is the Hydropower Program Manager at the DOE Water Power Technologies Office. Tim is a trained Fisheries Biologist who worked with hydropower licensing for 25 years at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
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Alexander Haro is a Research Ecologist with USGS and Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Massachusetts Department of Environmental Conservation. He leads research initiatives at the USGS Conte Lab and is an expert on American eel fish passage and behavior.
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David Johnston is an Associate Ecologist at H.T. Harvey & Associates and a leading authority on bats. He has worked extensively with threatened and endangered species monitoring at wind and solar developments.
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Daniel Deng is a Chief Scientist at PNNL. His lab is leading the development of miniaturized tags for small and sensitive species and self-powered kinetic tags for long-term monitoring.