October 16th, 2008
Bats and belfries may be synonymous. But what about bats and wind turbines? Not so much.
My husband’s favorite holiday, Halloween, is approaching, so this item caught my attention: As part of the Casselman Wind Power Project in Pennsylvania, the Bats and Wind Energy Cooperative (yes, there is such an organization) is testing the impact of wind turbines on local bat colonies. Here’s some insight on wind projects in the state.
What you’re seeing: The Eastern red bat, which is one of the three species most commonly involved in wind turbine collisions.
Photo Credit: Iberdrola Renewables
The bat research project is being funded by Iberdrola Renewables, which is in charge of developing the Casselman site. The focus is determining how to reduce bat deaths without compromising the power production of a given wind energy facility.
You need to keep in mind that this video was produced by the company working on the turbine project, but it provides a quick snapshot of the research being done.
Heather Clancy is an award-winning business journalist in the New York area with more than 20 years experience covering the high-tech industry. See her full profile and disclosure of her industry affiliations. See her full profile and disclosure of her industry affiliations.
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