Post-construction bat mortality monitoring report Wildcat Wind Farm, Madison and Tipton Counties, Indiana 2017

Published source details Stantec Consulting Services Inc. (2018) Post-construction bat mortality monitoring report Wildcat Wind Farm, Madison and Tipton Counties, Indiana 2017. Stantec Consulting Services Inc. report.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Increase the wind speed at which turbines become operational (‘cut-in speed’) Action Link

Increase the wind speed at which turbines become operational (‘cut-in speed’)

A study in 2013–2017 at a wind farm in an agricultural area of Indiana, USA (Stantec Consulting Services Inc. 2018) found that increasing the wind speed at which turbines become operational (‘cut-in speed’) resulted in fewer bat fatalities in both the spring and autumn migration periods. During spring, average bat fatality estimates were lower during one year in which the cut-in speed was increased to 5 m/s (0.3 bats/turbine) compared to three years in which the manufacturer’s cut-in speed was used (3.5 m/s; 0.7–1.4 bats/turbine). During autumn, average bat fatality estimates were lower during three years with an increased cut-in speed of 6.9 m/s (0.7–1.5 bats/turbine) compared to one year with a cut-in speed of 5 m/s (2.2. bats/turbine). The differences were not tested for statistical significance. Five bat species were found across the site (see original report for details). During spring (April–May), all of 125 turbines were operated at a cut-in speed of 5 m/s for one year (2016) and 3.5 m/s for four years (2013–2015, 2017). During autumn (August–October), all of 125 turbines were operated at a cut-in speed of 6.9 m/s for three years (2013–2015) and 5 m/s for one year (2017). Carcass searches were conducted 1–2 times/week along transects up to 80 m around each of the 125 turbines in April–May and August–October 2017. Data for 2013–2016 were collected during previous studies. All carcass counts were corrected for searcher efficiency, removal by scavengers, and unsearchable areas within plots.

(Summarised by: Anna Berthinussen)