Short Science Summary: Bat Interactions with Land-Based Wind Energy: A European and North American Perspective

Hoary Bat

Wind turbine-related fatalities of bats were first observed over 40 years ago, but it was not until the early 2000s when unexpectedly high numbers of fatality events were discovered at wind energy facilities in the eastern U.S. that the impacts of wind turbines on bats became a concern. Fatality rates vary dramatically and can range from zero to more than 100 bats/turbine/year at individual wind energy facilities. However, certain patterns are evident across the northern hemisphere. For example, fatalities are most frequent during late summer and autumn and are often concentrated during nights with warm temperatures and low wind speeds. Understanding these patterns helped in developing the first strategies to reduce fatality by altering turbine operations during the timing and conditions bats were most vulnerable.

Estimates of fatality indicate hundreds of thousands of bats are killed annually at wind turbines both in Europe and North America. Given bats are longlived and typically only have 1 to 2 pups per year, existing fatality rates may not be sustainable for certain species. Recent studies indicate population-level declines are possible, particularly given the anticipated growth of wind energy development. However, demographic and population data are limited for most bat species, making it difficult to determine population sizes and trends. In the European Union, all bats are protected under the Habitats Directive and several species are on the IUCN Red List of threatened species. In contrast, only a few species are afforded legal protection in North America under either the United States’ Endangered Species Act or Canada’s Species at Risk Act.

The table below contains the literature relevant to this summary document and will continue to be updated as new literature is added to Tethys.

Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
Unravelling the relationship between digitalisation and sustainable energy transitions using socio-technical-ecological scripts Schmidt-Scheele, R., Mattes, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
The costs of wind energy permitting compliance actions for regulated bats in the US Newman, C., Surrey, K. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats, Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data
Los murciélagos Mexicanos y la energía eólica: un breve recuento de los daños Muñoz Jiménez, O., Villegas Patraca, R. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
Predicting risk to bat species from wind turbine collision in Southeast Asia Crane, M., Silvia, I., Grainger, M., Gale, G. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Mapping bird and bat assemblage vulnerability for predicting wind energy impact Morant, J., Naves-Alegre, L., Garcia, H., Tena, E., Sanchez-Navarro, S., Nogueras, J., Ibanez, C., Sebastian-Gonzalez, E., Perez-Garcia, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Advancing bat monitoring: Assessing the impact of unmanned aerial systems on bat activity Roswag, M., Roswag, A., Fietz, J., Taefi, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Activity-based Informed Curtailment: Using Acoustics to Design and Validate Smart Curtailment to Reduce Risk to Bats at Wind Farms Peterson, T., Aghababian, S., Byrne, C. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Propuesta de lineamientos para el monitoreo, evaluación, prevención y mitigación de los impactos de los parques eólicos sobre la quiropterofauna en México Uribe Rivera, M. Thesis Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
The trans-european catchment area of common noctule bats killed by wind turbines in France Merlet, M., Soto, D., Arthur, L., Voigt, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
Wind turbines displace bats from drinking sites Scholz, C., Klein, H., Voigt, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Displacement Bats
A modeling framework for biodiversity assessment in renewable energy development: A case study on European bats and wind turbines Froidevaux, J., Le Viol, I., Barre, K., Bas, Y., Kerbiriou, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Bats
Bats and Wind Turbines: Adding Ecological Context to the Olfaction Hypothesis Clerc, J., Rogers, E., Fuller, N., Jonasson, K., Dempsey, L., Brokaw, A., Weller, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
A passive, blade-mounted ultrasonic bat deterrent for wind turbines Zeng, Z., Huang, S., Alexander, W., Sharma, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
Design of a Launcher for Wildlife Collision Simulation on Wind Turbines to Validate Strike Detection Systems Roadman, J., Goldhor, R., Hein, C., Ivanov, C., Rooney, S. Presentation Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
A decade of curtailment studies demonstrates a consistent and effective strategy to reduce bat fatalities at wind turbines in North America Whitby, M., O'Mara, M., Hein, C., Huso, M., Frick, W. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Flight behaviour of Red Kites within their breeding area in relation to local weather variables: Conclusions with regard to wind turbine collision mitigation Aschwanden, J., Stark, H., Liechti, F. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Potential for spatial coexistence of a transboundary migratory species and wind energy development Huang, T-K., Feng, X., Derbridge, J., Libby, K., Diffendorfer, J., Thogmartin, W., McCracken, G., Medellin, R., Lopez-Hoffman, L. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Context-dependent effects of wind turbines on bats in rural landscapes Sotillo, A., Le Viol, I., Barre, K., Bas, Y., Kerbiriou, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Collision Bats
Global Review on Environmental Impacts of Onshore Wind Energy and Their Implications for Forest Ecosystems Sander, L., Jung, C., Schindler, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data, Visual Impacts
Global Review on Environmental Impacts of Onshore Wind Energy in the Field of Tension between Human Societies and Natural Systems Sander, L., Jung, C., Schindler, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data, Visual Impacts
Environmental impact of wind farms from a biodiversity perspective: A comparative study of terrestrial and marine wind farms Kończak, K. Thesis Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Marine Mammals
Detection and validation of common noctule bats (Nyctalus noctula) with a pulse radar and acoustic monitoring in the proximity of an onshore wind turbine Krapivnitckaia, P. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
Regulations for Bat Protection in Mexico's Wind Farms Uribe, M., Aguilera, J., Villada-Canela, M., Peynador, C., Briones-Salas, M., Hein, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy
Distribution of common pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) activity is altered by airflow disruption generated by wind turbines Leroux, C., Barre, K., Valet, N., Kerbiriou, C., Le Viol, I. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance Bats
Concurrent challenges for Switzerland: interfaces in climate action, biodiversity conservation, energy security and landscape preservation Brunner, C., Lordan-Perret, R., Cadelli, E., Salzmann, N., Karger, D.K., Zimmermann, N.E. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats, Birds
Accounting for the Fraction of Carcasses Outside the Searched Area in the Estimation of Bird and Bat Fatalities at Wind Energy Facilities Dalthorp, D., Huso, M., Dalthorp, M., Mintz, J. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Toward solving the global green–green dilemma between wind energy production and bat conservation Voigt, C., Bernard, E., Huang, J., Frick, W., Kerbiriou, C., MacEwan, K., Mathews, F., Rodríguez-Durán, A., Scholz, C., Webala, P., Welbergen, J., Whitby, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Collision, Displacement Bats
Mapping the Way Forward: Spatial Data Inventory and Insights for Marine Planning in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina Wright, J., Wright, M., Wilson, R., Theuerkauf, S., Morris, J. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Bats, Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Reptiles, Sea Turtles, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Marine Spatial Planning
Land-based Wind Energy Voluntary Avoidance Guidance for the Tricolored Bat Bulliner, K. Guidance Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
A three-dimensional model of terrain-induced updrafts for movement ecology studies Thedin, R., Brandes, D., Quon, E., Sandhu, R., Tripp, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Changes in Flow Bats, Birds
Wind energy development can lead to guild-specific habitat loss in boreal forest bats McKay, R., Johns, S., Bischof, R., Matthews, F., van der Kooij, J., Yoh, N., Eldegard, K. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change Bats
DRAFT Habitat Conservation Plan Alliant Energy Nine Wind Projects in Minnesota and Iowa Alliant Energy Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
Does size matter? Investigation of the effect of wind turbine size on bird and bat mortality Garvin, J., Simonis, J., Taylor, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Geographic source of bats killed at wind-energy facilities in the eastern United States Wieringa, J., Nagel, J., Campbell, C., Nelson, D., Carstens, B., Gibbs, H. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Hawaiian Hoary Bat Guidance for Wind Energy Project Habitat Conservation Plans Endangered Species Recovery Committee, State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
Post-construction Monitoring Study for the California Ridge Wind Farm Champaign and Vermilion Counties, Illinois DuBridge, K., Wilson, G., Ritzert, J. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Post-Construction Monitoring Study for the Crescent Wind Project Hillsdale County, Michigan Fritchman, C., Ciecka, A., Pickle, J., Kuzler, F., Murray, C. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Localized Eco-Climatic Impacts of Onshore Wind Farms: A Review Ze, J., Xiuchun, Y., Ang, C. , Dong, Y., Min, Z., Lunda, W. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Physical Environment
A multisensory approach to understanding bat responses to wind energy developments Jonasson, K., Adams, A., Brokaw, A., Whitby, M., O'Mara, M., Frick, W. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
Experimental trials of species-specific bat flight responses to an ultrasonic deterrent Fritts, S., Guest, E., Weaver, S., Hale, A., Morton, B., Hein, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
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