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Loading...Even Small Wind Turbines Lower Bat Activity by Half
- Molly, selected from TreeHugger
- August 2, 2012
- 7:01 am
- 55 comments
By Derek Markham, TreeHugger
One of the drawbacks of large wind turbine installations is the loss of bats, which play an important part in the environment and in our economy (up to $53B a year!).
Right now, researchers are exploring new solutions to reducing bat deaths at large wind farms, but with the rising number of small wind turbine installations for residential and urban areas, bats may lose more valuable habitat.
A research study by Dr Jeroen Minderman, of the University of Stirling, is the first study to examine the impacts on local wildlife activity from small wind turbine installations, and the results suggest that the microturbines could significantly decrease bat habitat in their immediate area.
“Previous studies have shown that birds and bats can be killed by colliding with large turbine blades or that wildlife may avoid the surrounding environment, leading to effective habitat loss. To date, studies have focused solely on large-scale wind farms. We therefore felt it vital to address this knowledge gap by determining whether such effects are also applicable to small wind turbines, to improve planning guidance and deter badly-sited turbines in the future.” – Minderman
The results of the study showed that bird activity was not significantly affected by the turbines, but that bat activity was 54% lower near operating units. The authors recommended that wind turbines be kept at least 20 meters away from important bat habitat, and hope that their findings can help guide future installation guidelines.
Related:
Having Bats in the Belfry is a Good Thing (video)
You’ve Never Seen Bats Like This
Adorable Baby Bat (Video)
Read more: Environment, Green, Nature, Nature & Wildlife, News & Issues, Technology, alternative energy, bats, wind, wind energy, Wind Farms, wind power, wind turbines
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people are talking
Thank you so much
kudos to jaclyn and donors.......very sad situation.....
every little bit helps.
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55 comments
+ add your ownnoted
I am looking for the solution .Noted,thanks.
This is tragic. We need safer turbines. Wind power is not more important than bats' lives.
Sad...have to find better turbines and protect bats!
We need to find a way for both to coexist. Save out bats!
I had a colony of bats living in my roof, but the acquisition by neighbors of Mynah birds caused them to move away. A college student did his thesis on the Mynahs and as an aside discovered that the birds could imitate the bats navigational anti collision ultrasonic tones, confusing them, causing missed flying insects and collisions with each other. Now that the bats have departed, we see insects and mice in the house.
I am so sad that wind energy kills both birds and bats. Every rooftop in the US needs to have a solar array- think of how much energy there would be produced during the day...
Thank you for sharing.
I am reading about this problem more and more, it needs to be sorted as bats are really important and such cute little creatures
Before building these turbines they need to do more research and study their effects on nature. They need to find a way to preserve wildlife at all costs.
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