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

Bats Banner

Estimates of fatality indicate hundreds of thousands of bats are killed annually at wind turbines both in Europe and North America. Given bats are long-lived 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. This summary represents a general overview of the research, produced by WREN under IEA Wind. The table below contains the literature relevant to bats and the wind energy industry and will continue to be updated as new literature is added to Tethys.

        Download the Bats Short Science Summary

Sources of Information on Bats:

Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
Behavioral patterns of bats at a wind turbine confirm seasonality of fatality risk Goldenberg, S., Cryan, P., Gorresen, P., Fingersh, L. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Collision, Displacement Bats
The State of the Science on Operational Minimization to Reduce Bat Fatality at Wind Energy Facilities Whitby, M., Schirmacher, M., Frick, W. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
A critical review on environmental impacts of renewable energy systems and mitigation strategies: Wind, hydro, biomass and geothermal Sayad, E. , Wilberforce, T., Elsaid, K., Rabaia, M., Abdelkareem, M., Chae, K., Olabi, A. Journal Article Marine Energy, OTEC, Tidal, Wave, Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Offshore Wind Attraction, Changes in Flow, Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions
Predicting migration routes for three species of migratory bats using species distribution models Wieringa, J., Carstens, B., Gibbs, H. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Acoustic and Genetic Approaches for Informing Population Status and Trends of Migratory Tree Bats Hein, C., Hale, A., Straw, B. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
Relative energy production determines effect of repowering on wildlife mortality at wind energy facilities Huso, M., Conkling, T., Dalthorp, D., Davis, M., Smith, H., Fesnock, A., Katzner, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Proceedings from the State of the Science and Technology for Minimizing Impacts to Bats from Wind Energy Hein, C., Straw, B. Workshop Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Collision Bats
Peaks in bat activity at turbines and the implications for mitigating the impact of wind energy developments on bats Richardson, S., Lintott, P., Hosken, D., Economou, T., Mathews, F. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision Bats
Mitigating biodiversity impacts associated with solar and wind energy development: guidelines for project developers Bennun, L., van Bochove, J., Ng, C., Fletcher, C., Wilson, D., Phair, N., Carbone, G. Guidance Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Offshore Wind Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals
Mono-specific forest plantations are valuable bat habitats: implications for wind energy development Buchholz, S., Kelm, V., Ghanem, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
Ultrasonic acoustic deterrents significantly reduce bat fatalities at wind turbines Weaver, S., Hein, C., Simpson, T., Evans, J., Castro-Arellano, I. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
2nd Edition: Summary of Bat Fatality Monitoring Data Contained in AWWIC Allison, T., Butryn, R. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Guidance document on wind energy developments and EU nature legislation European Commission Guidance Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Physical Environment, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals
Enabling Renewable Energy While Protecting Wildlife: An Ecological Risk-Based Approach to Wind Energy Development Using Ecosystem-Based Management Values Copping, A., Gorton, A., May, R., Bennet, F., DeGeorge, E., Goncalves, M., Rumes, B. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Offshore Wind Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data, Stakeholder Engagement
The Wildlife Sensitivity Mapping Manual: Practical guidance for renewable energy planning in the European Union Allinson, T., Jobson, B., Crowe, O., Lammerant, J., Van Den Bossche, W., Badoz, I. Guidance Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Offshore Wind Bats, Birds, Physical Environment, Marine Mammals
An evaluation of bird and bat mortality at wind turbines in the Northeastern United States Choi, D., Wittig, T., Kluever, B. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Dogs detect larger wind energy effects on bats and birds Smallwood, K., Bell, D., Standish, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
A review of the major threats and challenges to global bat conservation Frick, W., Kingston, T., Flanders, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
Bat Activity Rates do not Predict Bat Fatality Rates at Wind Energy Facilities Solick, D., Pham, D., Nasman, K., Bay, K. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus semotus) behavior at wind turbines on Maui Gorresen, P., Cryan, P., Tredinnick, G. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
Landscape Factors Associated with Fatalities of Migratory Tree-Roosting Bats at Wind Energy Facilities: An Initial Assessment Peters, K., Evans, I., Traiger, E., Collins, J., Mathews, C., Klehr, A. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Population-Level Risk to Hoary Bats Amid Continued Wind Energy Development: Assessing Fatality Reduction Targets Under Broad Uncertainty Electric Power Research Institute Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Assessing population‐level consequences of anthropogenic stressors for terrestrial wildlife Katzner, T., Braham, M., Conkling, T., Diffendorfer, J., Duerr, A., Loss, S., Nelson, D., Vander Zanden, H., Yee, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Learning from Real-World Experience to Understand Renewable Energy Impacts to Wildlife Conkling, T., Vander Zanden, H., Poessel, S., Loss, S., Allison, T., Diffendorfer, J., Duerr, A., Nelson, D., Yee, J., Katzner, T. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Bat Impact Minimization Technology: An Improved Bat Deterrent for the Full Rotor Swept Area of Any Wind Turbine Cooper, D., Green, T., Miller, M., Rickards, E. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Noise Bats
Evaluating the Effectiveness of an Ultrasonic Acoustic Deterrent in Reducing Bat Fatalities at Wind Energy Facilities - Final Technical Report Schirmacher, M. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Effects of Wind Turbine Curtailment on Bird and Bat Fatalities Smallwood, K., Bell, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Relating Bat Passage Rates to Wind Turbine Fatalities Smallwood, K., Bell, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Estimates of aerial vertebrate mortality at wind farms in a bird migration corridor and bat diversity hotspot Cabrera-Cruz, S., Cervantes-Pasqualli, J., Franquesa-Soler, M., Munoz-Jimenez, O., Rodriguez-Aguilar, G., Villegas-Patraca, R. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Wind energy development and wildlife conservation in Lithuania: A mapping tool for conflict assessment Morkune, R., Marčiukaitis, M., Jurkin, V., Gecevicius, G., Morkunas, J., Raudonikis, L., Markevicius, A., Narscius, A., Gasiunaite, Z. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Displacement Bats, Birds
Long-term Acoustic Assessment of Bats at Spion Kop Reservoir, Montana for 2015-2017 Bachen, D., Burkholder, B., Maxell, B. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Displacement Bats
Evaluation of an Acoustic Deterrent to Reduce Bat Mortalities at an Illinois Wind Farm Romano, W., Skalski, J., Townsend, R., Kinzie, K., Coppinger, K., Miller, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Influence of landscape and time of year on bat-wind turbines collision risks Roemer, C., Bas, Y., Disca, T., Coulon, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision Bats
U.S. Geological Survey energy and wildlife research annual report for 2019 Khalil, M. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Offshore Wind Bats, Birds, Fish, Terrestrial Mammals
First three‐dimensional tracks of bat migration reveal large amounts of individual behavioral flexibility O'Mara, M., Wikelski, M., Kranstauber, B., Dechmann, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
Impacts to Wildlife of Wind Energy Siting and Operation in the United States Allison, T., Diffendorfer, J., Baerwald, E., Beston, J., Drake, D., Hale, A., Hein, C., Huso, M., Loss, S., Lovich, J., Strickland, M., Williams, K., Winder, V. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats, Birds
Understanding Wind Energy Impacts to Bats and Testing Reduction Strategies in South Texas Weaver, S. Thesis Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Red bat fatality: Geographic extents through deuterium and niche models Murtaugh, R., Capparella, A., Kostelnick, J., Johnson, G. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
A smart curtailment approach for reducing bat fatalities and curtailment time at wind energy facilities Hayes, M., Hooton, L., Gilland, K., Grandgent, C., Smith, T., Lindsay, S., Collins, J., Schumacher, S., Rabie, P., Gruver, J., Goodrich-Mahoney, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Bats
Bird and Bat Conservation Strategy Deuel Harvest North Wind Farm Deuel County, South Dakota Simon, S., Welch-Acosta, B. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance Birds, Bats
Displaying 1 - 40 of 478 results