Using Ultraviolet Light To Deter Bats From Wind Turbines—Short Science Summary

Bat

One hypothesis seeking to explain why bats collide with wind turbines is that bats, while relying on visual cues during open-air flight, mistake turbine silhouettes as trees. As a result, bats become attracted to the wind turbine in anticipation of foraging, roosting, and/or mating opportunities. As a technique to disrupt this attraction, a series of studies (including ongoing research) have investigated whether illuminating wind turbines with ultraviolet (UV) light (visible to bats but not humans) would make them visually distinct from trees to the point that bats would no longer confuse the two. During tests in a natural setting, bats appeared to exhibit a slightly negative response to UV-lit trees; however, during testing at wind turbines, there was no significant difference in bat activity between UV-lit and non-UV-lit turbines. At present, there is no strong evidence that UV illumination either deters (or attracts) bats, and existing evidence remains inconclusive. Current and future research should investigate the efficacy of UV illuminance with study designs that focus on increased sample sizes while monitoring for any potentially unanticipated negative effects to the environment when adding stimuli such as UV lights, which may, for example, attract insects.

The table below contains the literature relevant to this summary document and will continue to be updated as new literature is added to Tethys.

Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
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
Distribution of common pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) activity is altered by airflow disruption generated by wind turbines Leroux, C., Barre, K., Valet, N., Kerbiriou, C., Le Viol, I. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance Bats
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
Forest bat activity declines with increasing wind speed in proximity of operating wind turbines Ellerbrok, J., Farwig, N., Peter, F., Voigt, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Noise Bats
BatTool: projecting bat populations facing multiple stressors using a demographic model Wiens, A., Schorg, A., Szymanski, J., Thogmartin, W. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Habitat Change Bats
2023 North American State of the Bats Report Bat Conservation International Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision Bats
The presence of wind turbines repels bats in boreal forests Gaultier, S., Lilley, T., Vesterinen,E., Brommer, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance Bats
Conservation: Tracking bats around wind turbines O'Mara, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, 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
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
Activity of forest specialist bats decreases towards wind turbines at forest sites Ellerbrok, J., Delius, A., Peter, F., Farwig, N., Voigt, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance 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
Curtailment and acoustic deterrents reduce bat mortality at wind farms Good, R., Iskali, G., Lombardi, J., McDonald, T., DuBridge, K., Azeka, M., Tredennick, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance Bats
Efficacy and cost of acoustic-informed and wind speed-only turbine curtailment to reduce bat fatalities at a wind energy facility in Wisconsin Rabie, P., Welch-Acosta, B., Nasman, K., Schumacher, S., Schueller, S., Gruver, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance Bats
Influencing Activity of Bats by Dimly Lighting Wind Turbine Surfaces with Ultraviolet Light Cryan, P., Gorresen, P., Straw, B., Thao, S., DeGeorge, E. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Collision Bats
A review of the effectiveness of operational curtailment for reducing bat fatalities at terrestrial wind farms in North America Adams, E., Gulka, J., Williams, K. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Collision Bats
GPS tracking data can document wind turbine interactions: Evidence from a GPS-tagged Eurasian curlew Jiguet, F., Schwemmer, P., Rousseau, P., Bocher, P. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance Bats, Birds, Shorebirds, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Simulating Wind Energy Production Effects from Detection-based Smart Curtailment Bat Strategies for Alberta Wind Facilities Newman, C. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance Bats
Land-Based Wind Energy Siting: A Foundational and Technical Resource Christol, C., Oteri, F., Laurienti, M. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Stakeholder Engagement, Visual Impacts
La urgencia de hacer Restauración ecológica en México Mendez-Toribio, M., Izquierdo- Calderón, N., Martinez-Garza, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats, Birds
U.S. Geological Survey Migratory Bird Science, 2020–21 Pearse, A., Sherfy, M., Wimer, M., Khalil, M., Wiltermuth, M. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Ground-Nesting Birds, Passerines, Raptors, Physical Environment
Peaks in bat activity at turbines and the implications for mitigating the impact of wind energy developments on bats Richardson, S., Lintott, P., Hosken, D., Economou, T., Mathews, F. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision Bats
Bat activity and evidence of bat migration at two high elevation passes in the Western Alps Caprio, E., Patriarca, E., Debernardi, P. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance Bats
Influence of landscape and time of year on bat-wind turbines collision risks Roemer, C., Bas, Y., Disca, T., Coulon, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision Bats
Impacts to Wildlife of Wind Energy Siting and Operation in the United States Allison, T., Diffendorfer, J., Baerwald, E., Beston, J., Drake, D., Hale, A., Hein, C., Huso, M., Loss, S., Lovich, J., Strickland, M., Williams, K., Winder, V. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats, Birds
Bird and Bat Conservation Strategy Deuel Harvest North Wind Farm Deuel County, South Dakota Simon, S., Welch-Acosta, B. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance Birds, Bats
Estimating habitat loss due to wind turbine avoidance by bats: Implications for European siting guidance Barre, K., Le Viol, I., Bas, Y., Julliard, R., Kerbiriou, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats
Texturizing Wind Turbine Towers to Reduce Bat Mortality Bennett, V., Hendrix, T. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Collision Bats
Wind turbines impact bat activity, leading to high losses of habitat use in a biodiversity hotspot Millon, L., Colin, C., Brescia, F., Kerbiriou, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Habitat Change Bats
Impacts of onshore wind energy production on birds and bats: recommendations for future life cycle impact assessment developments Laranjeiro, T., May, R., Verones, F. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats, Birds
Impact of wind turbines on bat activity: an ommited long-distance concern Barre, K., Julliard, R., Le Viol, I., Bas, Y., Kerbiriou, C. Presentation Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Collision Bats
The Impacts of Small and Medium Wind Turbines on Bats Moyle, A. Thesis Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Displacement, Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Bats
Framework for Testing the Effectiveness of Bat and Eagle Impact-Reduction Strategies at Wind Energy Projects Sinclair, K., DeGeorge, E. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Raptors, Birds, Bats
Impacts to Birds and Bats Due to Collisions and Electrocutions from Some Tall Structures in the United States: Wires, Towers, Turbines, and Solar Arrays - State of the Art in Addressing the Problems Manville, A. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Displacement, Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Birds, Bats
How to Mitigate Impacts of Wind Farms on Bats? A Review of Potential Conservation Measures in the European Context Peste, F., Paula, A., Pinto da Silva, P., Bernardino, J., Pereira, P., Mascarenhas, M., Costa, H., Vieira, J., Bastos, C., Fonseca, C., Pereira, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Displacement, Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Bats
Behavior of Bats at Wind Turbines Cryan, P., Gorresen, P., Hein, C., Schirmacher, M., Diehl, R., Huso, M., Hayman, D., Fricker, P., Bonaccorso, F., Johnson, D., Heist, K., Dalton, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement Bats
Interspecific effects of forest fragmentation on bats Segers, J., Broders, H. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Habitat Change Bats
Effectiveness of an Operational Mitigation Experiment to Reduce Bat Fatalities at the Pinnacle Wind Farm, Mineral County, West Virginia, 2012 Hein, C., Prichard, A., Mabee, T., Schirmacher, M. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision Bats
Improving Methods for Estimating Fatality of Birds and Bats at Wind Energy Facilities Warren-Hicks, W., Newman, J., Wolpert, R., Karas, B., Tran, L. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement Bats, Birds
2012 Post-Construction Monitoring Study Criterion Wind Project Garrett County, Maryland Young, D., Nations, C., Lout, M., Bay, K. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Avoidance Birds, Bats
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