Hi all
Unlike the US, however, not many of our bats migratory, which are the type
of bats most impacted by wind turbines in that country. Therefore the
anticipated impact is considered to be smaller on most species.
You could also argue that the bats most affected in the USA are
tree-roosting bats. There are lots of those in Australia, and the Southern
Bent-wing Bat is not one of them. The biggest danger is that bats are
attracted to their deaths by wind turbines and there seems reason to think
this is the case. Worryingly, no-one has any idea of the impact of bat kills
at turbines in terms of overall population damage. You would like to think
that the desire for turbines would have generated all sorts of knowledge
about bat population sizes and migration routes, but overall it hasn't.
If the turbines are being built where their production rate is marginal,
that is even more of a worry, because then there is much more resistance to
simple changes which might reduce the problem. It has long been known that
bat kills can be greatly reduced if the turbines are shut down at low wind
speeds, but that can have a significant impact on energy production and
profitability at marginal sites.
I used to like seeing wind turbines, but now they have become a serious
blight on the landscape in the USA and parts of Europe. You would like to
think that at least the proliferation of them will do something meaningful
for energy needs, but there seems considerable doubt about that, too. The
community needs to be vigilant that there is a nett benefit to such
projects, and that it understands the real pros and cons, not just from the
viewpoint of those few with most to gain. Fat chance, I fear...
Cheers, Chris.
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