NedPower Mount Storm Wind Energy Facility post-construction avian and bat monitoring: July–October 2010
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Published source details
Young D.P.Jr., Nomani S., Tidhar W.L. & Bay K. (2011) NedPower Mount Storm Wind Energy Facility post-construction avian and bat monitoring: July–October 2010. Western EcoSystems Technology, Inc. (WEST) report.
Published source details Young D.P.Jr., Nomani S., Tidhar W.L. & Bay K. (2011) NedPower Mount Storm Wind Energy Facility post-construction avian and bat monitoring: July–October 2010. Western EcoSystems Technology, Inc. (WEST) report.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Prevent turbine blades from turning at low wind speeds ('feathering') Action Link |
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Prevent turbine blades from turning at low wind speeds ('feathering')
A replicated, randomized, controlled study in 2010 at a wind energy facility in a forested area of West Virginia, USA (Young et al 2011; same site as Young et al 2012) found that preventing turbine blades from turning at low wind speeds (‘feathering’) in the first or second half of the night resulted in fewer bat fatalities than at conventional turbines. Average bat fatality estimates were lower when turbine blades were feathered in the first half of the night (0.05 bats/turbine) or the second half (0.09 bats/turbine) compared to conventional control turbines (0.18 bats/turbine). Fatality estimates for turbines feathered in the first vs second half of the night did not differ significantly. Six bat species were found, although 86% of bat carcasses were hoary bats Lasiurus cinereus and eastern red bats Lasiurus borealis (see original report for data). On nights when wind speeds were forecasted to be low, two treatments (blades feathered at wind speeds <4 m/s for 5 h after sunset or 5 h before sunrise) and a control (blades rotated freely at wind speeds <4 m/s) were each randomly assigned to three groups of eight turbines. Treatments were rotated between turbine groups weekly over 12 weeks in July–October 2010. Daily carcass searches were conducted along transects in plots up to 100 m around each of the 24 turbines. Carcass counts were corrected to account for searcher efficiency, removal by scavengers, and unsearchable areas within plots.
(Summarised by: Anna Berthinussen)
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