Oct. 16

The wind power industry and conservationists are partnering to study the interaction between wind farms and bats by conducting the first U.S. effort to look at the impact of shutting down wind turbines to reduce bat deaths.

Iberdrola Renewables and Bat Conservation International will determine if turning off turbines during low wind nights will reduce bat deaths. They also will study the effect on electricity generation.

From late July to early October, bats´ late-summer migration period, Iberdrola stopped select wind turbines at its Casselman Wind Power Project in southwestern Pennsylvania during low wind conditions to see if it reduced the amount of bat deaths.

Iberdrola also is funding the study, which is being conducted through the Bats and Wind Energy Cooperative, a coalition of the American Wind Energy Association, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and BCI.

"We believe this is the responsible thing to do and recognize there is an impact on bats that requires scientific study," said Andrew Linehan, director of permitting for Iberdrola.

The groups did not say when they will release the results of the study.

Contact Waste News reporter Joe Truini at (330) 865-6166 or jtruini@crain.com

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