Proceedings of the 2004 Bats and Wind Power Generation ...

CHAPTER 2. PROBLEMS AND CAUSESThe discussion focused on the problems associated with bats and wind turbines and the most critical underlying causes. Separatesuggestions were provided for “problems” and “causes” and a complete list can be found in Tables 2.1 and 2.2.TABLE 2.1 PROBLEMS♦ TOP PRIORITIESLACK OF RELIABLE INFORMATIONINCONSISTENCY INREGULATIONSECONOMICINCENTIVESPERCEPTION OF“GREEN ENERGY”EVENT• Inadequate information on bat migration♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦• Inadequate information on how bats are being killed♦♦♦• Lack of rigorous data to elucidate patterns of mortality inrelation to location, topography, weather, etc.♦♦♦• Lack of recommended deterrents and /or avoidancemechanisms♦♦• Lack of knowledge to provide adequate siting guidance towind industry or 10 gram bat hitting 20-million-gram blade♦♦• Unexplained collisions due to siting and/or interactionsbetween bats/turbines, i.e., echolocation and migrationissues• Lack of robust methods for preventing bat mortality♦• Little is known about impact of turbines relative to turbineactivity, bat species, local populations♦• Lack of knowledge of spatial and temporal use ofproposed site- no data does not mean no problem e.g. MN vs. TN- no clue about East vs. West♦• Lack of consistentregulatory reviewprocess andrequirements acrossstates♦♦♦♦♦• How can EIAs bebest designed andimplemented best bywind farms tominimize batmortality caused bywind turbines?♦• No siting guidelines,no mitigationmeasures♦• No incentive to spendmoney on problem♦♦♦• Maintaining economicdevelopment andoperation of windfacilities whileconserving batpopulations♦♦• Killing bats is not'green' in the eyes ofthe public & thiscreates an imageproblem♦♦• No reference toindustry or public(both professionaland general) as towhat is acceptable• Bat mortality (possiblesensitive species)♦♦• Significant bat kills ofunknown causes♦♦• Bats are being killed atwind turbines sites♦• Additive mortality tolong-lived, i.e., selectivespecies, with lowreproductive rates♦• We don’t know howsignificant batmortalities at turbinesare re: bat population• Bats seem to bebehaving differently atwind sites in the Eastthan elsewhere• Unexpected andunexplained high levelof bat mortality ateastern U.S. wind farms- potential for takinglisted speciesBats and Wind Power Generation Technical Workshop 3