Best Management Practices for Mitigating Bat Fatalities
(Room Sunset IV - V)
01 Mar 17
8:35 AM
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9:35 AM
In 2015, to address increasing concerns by stakeholders of bat fatalities at operating wind sites, the AWEA Board of Directors adopted a suggested best management practice (BMP) prepared by AWEA’s Siting and Environmental Compliance Committee and shared with AWEA’s Operations Committee to reduce bat fatalities at operating wind sites. Scientific studies show that fully feathering the wind turbine blades under the normal manufacturer’s wind cut-in speed so that rotor rotations are less than 2 RMP at night during the late summer/early fall bat migration season can reduce bat fatalities by up to 30 to 40%. Many wind site operators continue to implemented this BMP, however the diversity and vintage of turbine OEMs, their associated SCADA systems and other operational parameters can present challenges to implementing this BMP. This session will examine various operational aspects of the BMP, including, but not limited to: SCADA challenges (including cost for SCADA upgrades), net generation loss/gain; turbine component wear and tear, documenting (for compliance purposes and otherwise) actual turbine operation status, etc.