Speeding up wind turbines could save thousands of bats in Australia

[JACK AYLMER]

FOR SOME – BATS CAN BE A SYMBOL OF FEAR.

BUT THEY’RE ALSO A VITAL PART OF THE ECOSYSTEMS THEY INHABIT.

ESPECIALLY IN AUSTRALIA-

WHERE THEY HELP LIMIT PEST POPULATIONS AND POLLINATE NATIVE PLANTS.

HOWEVER, THESE ANIMALS ARE BEING THREATENED BY TECHNOLOGY THAT’S INTENDED TO HELP THE ENVIRONMENT-

WIND TURBINES.

RESEARCHERS ESTIMATE AS MANY AS 50,000 BATS ARE KILLED ANNUALLY BY THESE SPINNING BLADES IN THE AUSTRALIAN STATE OF VICTORIA ALONE.

THAT’S WHY ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS ARE ADVOCATING FOR THE NATIONS TURBINES TO ACTUALLY START TURNING FASTER-

A MEASURE THAT STUDIES HAVE FOUND COULD REDUCE BAT DEATHS BY AN AVERAGE OF 40 PERCENT.

THESE ANIMALS ARE MORE ACTIVE AROUND TURBINES THAT TURN SLOWER-

SPEEDING THEM UP CREATES CONDITIONS THAT ARE LESS SUITABLE FOR THEM TO FLY NEAR SO THE BATS TEND TO STAY AWAY.

HOWEVER, FASTER TURBINES ALSO TRANSLATES TO A REDUCTION IN BOTH ENERGY PRODUCTION AND REVENUE FOR UTILITY PROVIDERS.

THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF INCREASED TURBINE SPEEDS WERE PUT TO THE TEST OVER THE COURSE OF A FOUR MONTH TRIAL AT AN AUSTRALIAN WIND FARM-

ECOLOGISTS FOUND THAT FASTER TURBINE SPEED ACTUALLY CUT THE BAT MORTALITY RATE BY 54 PERCENT.

MEANWHILE, BOTH ENERGY OUTPUT AND WIND FARM REVENUE WERE CUT BY LESS THAN ONE PERCENT.

FOR MORE STORIES ABOUT HOW RENEWABLE ENERGY TECH CAN IMPACT SURROUNDING WILDLIFE- DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP AND SIGN UP FOR ALERTS FROM ME – JACK AYLMER.