Ultrasonic Deterrents To Reduce Bat Mortality at Wind Turbines—Short Science Summary

Bats

In North America, several bat species commonly collide with operating turbines. Although the ultimate cause of collisions is unknown, studies suggest bats may be attracted to turbines because they often approach turbine structures and spend extended periods of time (seconds to minutes) near them. To reduce bat mortality at wind farms, operators seek to reduce the amount of time bats spend near spinning turbine blades (known as exposure). Current approaches to reduce exposure include both curtailment, in which turbine operators stop turbine rotors from spinning during periods when bats are expected to be at the highest risk of collision, and deterrent technologies that seek to discourage bats from entering the rotor-swept area or at least limit the amount of time spent there.

The use of ultrasonic deterrent devices that emit one or more high-frequency sounds has been the most tested technique. The idea behind using ultrasound as a deterrent is it disrupts the ability of bats to effectively echolocate (sometimes referred to as signal jamming). According to this idea, introducing ultrasonic noise in the environment in the same frequency ranges that bats use to echolocate makes it difficult for bats to reliably interpret their own ultrasonic vocalizations. Bats are expected to vacate environments where echolocation is required but becomes unreliable. To test this hypothesis, researchers have investigated the behavioral responses of bats in laboratory (Spanjer 2006) and natural settings (Szewczak and Arnett 2007; Gilmour et al. 2020; Fritts et al. 2024).

In one of the earliest studies on the topic, Szewczak and Arnett (2007) used ultrasonic deterrents at a natural pond that bats frequented for drinking and foraging. Szewczak and Arnett demonstrated that ultrasonic deterrents greatly reduced the overall bat activity rates within a distance of approximately 20 meters (m). Despite relatively consistent results using ultrasound deterrents in natural settings (Szewczak and Arnett 2007; Gilmour et al. 2020) and as a tool to discourage bats (at least temporarily) from approaching buildings and bridges (Zeale et al. 2016; Aldemir Bektas et al. 2022), researchers’ ability to reduce bat mortality rates around wind turbines has been inconsistent (Table 1). For example, Weaver et al. (2020) found that ultrasonic deterrents reduced hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus) and Brazilian free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis) fatalities but found no difference in the number of northern yellow bat (Lasiurus intermedius) carcasses between turbines with and without ultrasonic deterrents. Despite overall reductions in bat fatalities, several studies reported increased fatalities when considering species-specific effects.

Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
Advancing bat monitoring: Assessing the impact of unmanned aerial systems on bat activity Roswag, M., Roswag, A., Roswag, M., Fietz, J., Taefi, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Design of a Launcher for Wildlife Collision Simulation on Wind Turbines to Validate Strike Detection Systems Roadman, J., Goldhor, R., Hein, C., Ivanov, C., Rooney, S. Presentation Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
A decade of curtailment studies demonstrates a consistent and effective strategy to reduce bat fatalities at wind turbines in North America Whitby, M., O'Mara, M., Hein, C., Huso, M., Frick, W. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Flight behaviour of Red Kites within their breeding area in relation to local weather variables: Conclusions with regard to wind turbine collision mitigation Aschwanden, J., Stark, H., Liechti, F. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Potential for spatial coexistence of a transboundary migratory species and wind energy development Huang, T-K., Feng, X., Derbridge, J., Libby, K., Diffendorfer, J., Thogmartin, W., McCracken, G., Medellin, R., Lopez-Hoffman, L. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Context-dependent effects of wind turbines on bats in rural landscapes Sotillo, A., Le Viol, I., Barre, K., Bas, Y., Kerbiriou, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Collision Bats
Global Review on Environmental Impacts of Onshore Wind Energy in the Field of Tension between Human Societies and Natural Systems Sander, L., Jung, C., Schindler, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data, Visual Impacts
Accounting for the Fraction of Carcasses Outside the Searched Area in the Estimation of Bird and Bat Fatalities at Wind Energy Facilities Dalthorp, D., Huso, M., Dalthorp, M., Mintz, J. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Toward solving the global green–green dilemma between wind energy production and bat conservation Voigt, C., Bernard, E., Huang, J., Frick, W., Kerbiriou, C., MacEwan, K., Mathews, F., Rodríguez-Durán, A., Scholz, C., Webala, P., Welbergen, J., Whitby, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Collision, Displacement Bats
Does size matter? Investigation of the effect of wind turbine size on bird and bat mortality Garvin, J., Simonis, J., Taylor, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Geographic source of bats killed at wind-energy facilities in the eastern United States Wieringa, J., Nagel, J., Campbell, C., Nelson, D., Carstens, B., Gibbs, H. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Localized Eco-Climatic Impacts of Onshore Wind Farms: A Review Ze, J., Xiuchun, Y., Ang, C. , Dong, Y., Min, Z., Lunda, W. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Physical Environment
Experimental trials of species-specific bat flight responses to an ultrasonic deterrent Fritts, S., Guest, E., Weaver, S., Hale, A., Morton, B., Hein, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Die Auswirkungen von Windenergieanlagen an Waldstandorten auf Fledermäuse Voigt, C., Scholz, C., Ellerbrok, J., Melber, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Numbers of wildlife fatalities at renewable energy facilities in a targeted development region Conkling, T., Fesnock, A., Katzner, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Understanding fatality patterns and sex ratios of Brazilian free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) at wind energy facilities in western California and Texas LiCari, S., Hale, A., Weaver, S., Fritts, S., Katzner, T., Nelson, D., Williams, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Grand Challenges Revisited: Wind Energy Research Needs for a Global Energy Transition Veers, P., Dykes, K., Baranowski, R., Bay, C., Bortolotti, P., Doubrawa, P., MacDonald, S., Rooney, S., Bottasso, C., Fleming, P., Haupt, S., Hale, A., Hein, C., Robertson, A. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Collision, Noise Bats, Birds, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data, Stakeholder Engagement, Visual Impacts
Disentangling mechanisms responsible for wind energy effects on European bats Leroux, C., Le Viol, I., Valet, N., Kerbiriou, C., Barre, K. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Wind turbine power and land cover effects on cumulative bat deaths Moustakas, A., Georgiakakis, P., Kret, E., Kapsalis, E. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Post-construction Bird and Bat Fatality Monitoring for Onshore Wind Energy Facilities in Emerging Market Countries: Good Practice Handbook and Decision Support Tool International Finance Corporation Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds, Human Dimensions
Seasonal patterns of bird and bat collision fatalities at wind turbines Lloyd, J., Butryn, R., Pearman-Gillman, S., Allison, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Sex Ratios of Brazilian Free-Tailed Bat (Tadarida brasiliensis) Fatalities at Wind Energy Facilities in California and Texas LiCari, S. Thesis Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
2023 North American State of the Bats Report Bat Conservation International Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision Bats
Drivers of bat activity at wind turbines advocate for mitigating bat exposure using multicriteria algorithm-based curtailment Barre, K., Froidevaux, J., Sotillo, A., Roemer, C., Kerbiriou, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Collision, Habitat Change Bats
Simulating the influences of bat curtailment on power production at wind energy facilities Hayes, M., Lindsay, S., Solick, D., Newman, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Conservation: Tracking bats around wind turbines O'Mara, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Collision Bats
Reducing bat mortality at wind farms using site-specific mitigation measures: a case study in the Mediterranean region, Croatia Rnjak, D., Janeš, M. , Križan, J., Antonić, O. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Drone-mounted audio-visual deterrence of bats: implications for reducing aerial wildlife mortality by wind turbines Werber, Y., Hareli, G., Yinon, O., Sapir, N., Yovel, Y. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
International assessment of priority environmental issues for land-based and offshore wind energy development Green, R., Gill, E., Hein, C., Couturier, L., Mascarenhas, M., May, R., Newell, D., Rumes, B. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment
Event detection for avian and bat wildlife on wind turbine blades Drachnik, N. Thesis Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Curtailment as a successful method for reducing bat mortality at a southern Australian wind farm Bennett, E., Florent, S., Venosta, M., Gibson, M., Jackson, A., Stark, E. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy
National-scale impacts on wind energy production under curtailment scenarios to reduce bat fatalities Maclaurin, G., Hein, C., Williams, T., Roberts, O., Lantz, E., Buster, G., Lopez, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Displacement Bats, Human Dimensions, Social & Economic Data
Current state of knowledge of wind energy impacts on bats in South Africa Aronson, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Distance to hedgerows drives local repulsion and attraction of wind turbines on bats: Implications for spatial siting Leroux, C., Kerbiriou, C., Le Viol, I., Valet, N., Barre, K. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Habitat Change Bats
Diet analysis of bats killed at wind turbines suggests large-scale losses of trophic interactions Scholz, C., Voigt, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Invertebrates
Informing wind energy development: Land cover and topography predict occupancy for Arizona bats Starbuck, C., Dickson, B., Chambers, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Coastal onshore wind turbines lead to habitat loss for bats in Northern Germany Reusch, C., Lozar, M., Kramer-Schadt, S., Voigt, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats
Human–Wildlife Conflicts across Landscapes—General Applicability vs. Case Specificity Göttert, T., Starik, N. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Human Dimensions
Factors affecting searcher efficiency and scavenger removal of bat carcasses in Neotropical wind facilities Barros, M., Iannuzzi, L., Silva, I., Otálora-Ardila, A., Bernard, E. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Automated Classification of Bat Echolocation Call Recordings with Artificial Intelligence Tabak, M., Murray, K., Reed, A., Lombardi, J., Bay, K. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Human Dimensions
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