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.

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

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
Criterion Wind Project Avian Protection Plan Young, D., Tidhar, D. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Displacement, Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Legal & Policy, Human Dimensions, Birds, Bats
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Guidance Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Terrestrial Mammals, Human Dimensions
Putting Aeolus to work without the death toll: federal wind farm siting guidelines can mitigate avian and Chiropteran mortality Mensing, B. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Raptors
Best Management Practices for siting, developing, operating, and monitoring renewable energy in the Intermountain West: A Conservationist's Guide Jones, A. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Displacement, Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Terrestrial Mammals, Raptors, Legal & Policy, Human Dimensions, Ground-Nesting Birds, Birds, Bats
Draft Black Oak & Getty Wind Avian and Bat Protection Plan Black Oak Wind, Getty Wind Company Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats, Birds
Avian and Bat Protection Plan for the Ocotillo Wind Energy Facility Ocotillo Express Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Raptors
A Forensic Investigation Into the Etiology of Bat Mortality at a Wind Farm: Barotrauma or Traumatic Injury? Rollins, K., Meyerholz, D., Johnson, G., Capparella, A., Loew, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Big Blue Wind Energy Project Avian and Bat Protection Plan Western Ecosystems Technology Inc (WEST) Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats
Have we all gone batty? The need for a better balance between the conservation of protected species and the development of clean renewable energy Householder, L. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Human Dimensions, Climate Change
Effects of Acoustic Deterrents on Foraging Bats Johnson, J., Ford, W., Rodrigue, J., Edwards, J. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Avian and Bat Protection Plan: AWA Goodhue Wind Project Westwood Professional Services Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats, Birds
A new method to determine bird and bat fatality at wind energy turbines from carcass searches Korner-Nievergelt, F., Korner-Nievergelt, P., Behr, O., Niermann, I., Hellriegel, B. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Collision Birds, Bats
Evaluating the Effectiveness of an Ultrasonic Acoustic Deterrent in Reducing Bat Fatalities at Wind Energy Facilities - Final Report Arnett, E., Hein, C., Schirmacher, M., Baker, M., Huso, M., Szewczak, J. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Collision Bats
Enhancing Carcass Removal Trials at Three Wind Energy Facilities in Portugal Bernardino, J., Bispo, R., Torres, P., Rebelo, R., Mascarenhas, M., Costa, H. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds, Bats
Using echolocation monitoring to model bat occupancy and inform mitigations at wind energy facilities Weller, T., Baldwin, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Collision Bats
Bat Fatality Monitoring Report for the Pigeon Creek Wind Turbine Dewitt, S. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Investigating the Causes of Death for Wind Turbine-Associated Bat Fatalities Grodsky, S., Behr, M., Gendler, A., Drake, D., Dieterle, B., Rudd, R., Walrath, N. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Assessing Bird and Bat Mortality at the Forward Energy Center Grodsky, S., Drake, D. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Using Stakeholder Input to Develop a Comparative Risk Assessment for Wildlife from the Life Cycles of Six Electrical Generation Fuels Zillioux, E., Newman, J., Lampman, G., Watson, M., Newman, C. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Collision Stakeholder Engagement, Life Cycle Assessment, Human Dimensions, Birds, Bats
Patterns of activity and fatality of migratory bats at a wind energy facility in Alberta, Canada Baerwald, E., Barclay, R. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Collision Bats
Wind turbines as landscape impediments to the migratory connectivity of bats Cryan, P. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Collision Bats
Avian, Bat and Habitat Cumulative Impacts Associated with Wind Energy Development in the Columbia Plateau Ecoregion Of Eastern Washington and Oregon 2011 Johnson, G., Erickson, W. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Raptors
Klondike IIIa (Phase 2) Wind Power Project Wildlife Monitoring Year One Summary August 2008–August 2010 Gritski, B., Downes, S., Kronner, K. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
An Assessment of the Bat Fauna at the Hepburn Community Wind Farm, Leonards Hill, Victoria Richards, G. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Collision Bats
Post-Construction Bird and Bat Mortality Study: Cedar Ridge Wind Farm, Fond Du Lac County, Wisconsin BHE Environmental Inc Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Year 1 Post-construction Avian and Bat Monitoring Report: Biglow Canyon Wind Farm Phase II Sherman County, Oregon Enk, T., Bay, K., Sonnenberg, M., Flaig, J., Boehrs, J., Palochak, A. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Post construction monitoring of wind farms: First records of direct impact on bats in Italy Ferri, V., Locasciulli, O., Soccini, C., Forlizzi, E. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Bat Mortality and Activity at a Northern Iowa Wind Resource Area Jain, A., Koford, R., Hancock, A., Zenner, G. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Bats
Mortality of Bats at Wind Turbines Links to Nocturnal Insect Migration? Rydell, J., Bach, L., Dubourg-Savage, M., Green, M., Rodrigues, L., Hedenstrom, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Patterns of Bird and Bat Fatality at the Locust Ridge II Wind Farm, Pennsylvania Arnett, E., Schirmacher, M., Hein, C., Bat Conservation International, Huso, M. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Temporal Patterns in Capture Rate and Sex Ratio of Forest Bats in Arkansas Perry, R., Carter, S., Thill, R. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Wind Turbines and Bat Mortality: Rotor Detectability Profiles Long, C., Flint, J., Baker, K., Lepper, P. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Klondike III (Phase 1) Wind Power Project Wildlife Monitoring Study October 2007–October 2009 Gritski, B., Downes, S., Kronner, K. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Post-Construction Avian Monitoring Study for the Shiloh II Wind Power Project Solano County, California Kerlinger, P., Curry, R., Culp, L., Hasch, A., Jain, A. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Bat Mortality at Wind Turbines in Northwestern Europe Rydell, J., Bach, L., Dubourg-Savage, M., Green, M., Rodrigues, L., Hedenstrom, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Search Areas for Monitoring Bird and Bat Carcasses at Wind Farms using a Monte-Carlo Model Hull, C., Muir, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Effectiveness of Changing Wind Turbine Cut-in Speed to Reduce Bat Fatalities at Wind Facilities 2010 Arnett, E., Schirmacher, M., Huso, M., Hayes, J. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Spatial Pattern of Summer Bat Mortality from Collisions with Wind Turbines in Mixed-Grass Prairie Piorkowski, M., O'Connell, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds, Bats
Bats are not birds and other problems with Sovacool's (2009) analysis of animal fatalities due to electricity generation Willis, C., Barclay, R., Boyles, J., Brigham, R., Brack, V., Waldien, D., Reichard, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Displacement, Collision, Attraction Birds, Bats
Avian, bat and habitat cumulative impacts associated with wind energy development in the Columbia Plateau Ecoregion of Eastern Washington and Oregon Johnson, G., Erickson, W. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Birds
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