November 7, 2008—The Bats and Wind Energy Cooperative (BWEC) announced that it has begun testing a procedure to stop wind turbines during low-wind conditions to avoid killing bats.
Bat deaths from wind turbines are a relatively recently discovered phenomenon, and although they are not fully understood, recent studies have suggested that most bat deaths occur on low-wind nights when the turbines are producing low amounts of power, but may be rotating near their maximum speed.
Based on that finding, Iberdrola Renewables has agreed to shut down the turbines at its Casselman Wind Power Project in Pennsylvania during low-wind conditions. The experiment will provide information on how the new operating procedure will affect both bat deaths and power production at the 34.5-megawatt facility, which is located southeast of Pittsburgh.
The BWEC is a unique alliance of Bat Conservation International, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory. For more information, see the Web site.
