Wind Turbines
Do wind turbines affect bats?
The following is the Bat Conservation Trust's Position Statement on wind farms, wind turbines and microturbines:
BCT supports the development of sustainable energy but, in line with the Eurobats resolutions, stresses that it is imperative that the possible harmful effects on bats and other wildlife (both direct and indirect) are taken into account before deciding on the siting of wind turbines, large and small.
The discovery of dead bats and birds underneath wind turbines in the US and in mainland Europe has led to concerns that research into the siting of these structures is not sufficiently rigorous, and that some have been erected on migration routes of bats and birds.
The siting of turbines may be an issue for bats in the UK, not only because of the risk of direct collision if turbines are placed on migration or commuting routes, but also because of displacement from foraging habitat. The positioning of mid-sized wind turbines in hedgerows is also a concern.
Microturbines are a relatively new technology. However, BCT already has anecdotal evidence of bat mortality caused by microturbines. BCT opposes the move to make the installation of these small-scale household wind turbines permitted development (ie not requiring submission of a planning application). Microturbines can be freestanding or placed on buildings, boats or road signs.
BCT would like to see monitoring undertaken at existing wind turbine sites and monitoring of all new turbines, whether large or small. We would also urge that full impact assessments of the potential effect on bats are undertaken, and for post-installation monitoring to be made a planning condition. BCT hopes that future updates of BWEA's guidance on wind farm development and nature conservation will reflect the need to consider bats in the planning of wind farms.
BCT would welcomes the decision by Defra, the British Wind Energy Associatoin (BWEA) and Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) to fund a study to determine whether British bat populations are at risk from onshore wind turbines.
ENDS
Bats and wind turbine research
In March 2009 Defra commissioned the University of Bristol and BCT to deliver Phase 1 of a research project on bats and wind turbines: 'Determining the impact of wind turbines on bat populations in Great Britain'. This initial phase established what information and research is currently available on bats and wind turbines , and developed a research protocol to be taken forward into Phase 2. Phase 2 of the project is planned to commence in July 2009 and will comprise a three-year project gathering data on bat activity and bat fatalities at wind farms in England, Scotland and Wales.
Click on the following document to read the report from Phase 1 of this project (PDF file):
Determining the impact of wind turbines on bat populations in Great Britain Phase 1 Report
Microturbine issues
BCT has concerns about how bats interact with microturbines, particularly in light of the government's wish to make microturbines permitted development to increase their use. Microturbines may be attached to buildings, boats, or freestanding. We have information that bats have been killed by microturbines, but we do not understand how they interact with microturbines, whether they are attracted to them in some way, or whether they cannot 'see' them. This is an area needing more research, and is something we are promoting with our work on bats and the built environment. BCT would like to see research into the development of 'wildlife friendly' turbine designs that discourage collision by bats and birds.
Siting of microturbines is extremely important. Careful checks of the subject building and surrounding buildings must be made before installing a turbine to avoid proximity to roosts and bat flyways; turbines close to roost accesses could have devastating effects on the colony size when bats are leaving and returning to the roost. Turbines causing bat mortality should be resited because of the legal protection afforded to bats.
Click on the following documents to see BCT's response to the English Government's 2007 consultation Permitted Development Rights for Householder Microgeneration (PDF files):
- Microgeneration Consultation Response
- BCT Response to review of permitted development July 2006
- Micro-turbine bat mortality incidents (to June 2007)
- Microgeneration Consultation Response Questions
BCT has also responded to the equivalent Welsh Assembly Government consultation, and will be responding to the equivalent Scottish Government consultation.
Microturbine research
Scientists at the University of Stirling are conducting the world's first study into the effects of micro-turbines on birds and bats. Micro-turbine owners are invited to take part in the study by completing an online questionnaire: http://www.sbes.stir.ac.uk/research/ecology/micro-turbines.html.
Recent research (2009) by Long et al published in the Proceedings of the Institute of Acoustics has investigated the interactions between bat echolocation pulses and moving microturbine blades.
Other documents for further reading are below:
Eurobats Resolution 5.6 Wind turbines and Annex generic guidelines (2006)
Eurobats Resolution 4.7 Wind turbines and bats (2003)
BWEA's guidance on wind farm development and nature conservation (2001)
Details of the workshop on wind turbines and bat populations held on 5th February 2007