Bat Detection and Shutdown System for Wind Turbines Under Development
EPRI is working with the Department of Energy (DOE) to develop and test a bat detection and shutdown system for utility-scale wind turbines.  Recent evidence documents high numbers of bat fatalities at wind turbines sited in wind resource areas.  Bat fatalities, especially those involving threatened or endangered species, may present a significant stumbling block to the approval of large-scale wind power projects.  To prevent bat fatalities, researchers are designing and testing a system that will detect bat calls within the rotor swept area of a wind turbine and stop blade rotation until the area is clear—thus minimizing power generation loss while protecting the bats.  EPRI has a firm commitment from DOE to test the system on a General Electric turbine located at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, CO.  A draft report on the project is due in October.  For more information, contact John W. Goodrich-Mahoney, (202) 293-7516, jmahoney@epri.com.