HomeMy WebLinkAboutBat and Bird WindTurbine Interactions Mitagations Karen-Kronner NWC 2005Alaska Wind EnergyComprehensive Planning = Successful ProjectsWEATS 2005 Alaska TrainingNorthwest Wildlife Consultants, Inc. and ABR, Inc.
Brief Summary of Western Bat/Bird Wind Turbine InteractionsandHabitat Mitigation Projects
Bat collision mortality is not unique to wind energy facilitiesBats have also collided with the following structures:• Lighthouses• Communication towers• Tall buildings• Powerlines•Fences
Bat collision mortality at wind facilities is widespread• Western states with fatalities include WA, OR, CA, WY, and CO• Other states with fatalities include WV, PA, MN, IA, and WI• Bat mortality has also been documented in Canada, Germany, Sweden, Spain and Australia• Injured bats are occasionally found
Species of bat fatalities• Of 46 species of bats in North America, 11 have been found as fatalities at wind facilities – medium to large-sized turbines• 7 of the 11 species have been found at Western wind facilities• No federally endangered or threatened bats have been found at a U.S. wind energy facility• Eastern US wind projects are experiencing high fatality numbers – likely due to forested environment. Higher numbers found when wind speeds were slower.
Bat mortality in the West is lower than in the Midwest and East36203.4 / 4.678712Overall217646.3 / 32.0682East6861.7 / 2.72544Upper Midwest1291.2 / 1.9682RockyMountains6751.2 / 1.7(a range of 0.7 to 3.2/turbine/yr)3974Van., SL, NC, KLPacificNorthwest~ Total EstimatedMortality/yr.Av.#/turbine/#/MW/yr(estimated)#MWmonitoredNumber ofstudiesRegion
Cooperative effort between industry and other groupsThe Bat and Wind Energy CooperativeCo-funded by:American Wind Energy AssociationBat Conservation InternationalNational Renewable Energy Lab, DOEIncludes:State and federal agencies,private industry, academicinstitutions and non-governmental organizations
Collaborative effort initiated in mid-2004• Develop relationships among diverse partners with differing goals, mandates and objectives• Assemble resources needed to conduct research needs to solve problems• Enhance credibility of findings• Solve the problem and make turbines more “bat friendly”• Share InformationFact Sheet available at www.nationalwind.org
Field research was conducted at two wind projects in eastern U. S. in summer of 2004Results posted at NWCC and Bat Conservation International web site
Avian Interactions• Much has been learned since the days of high raptor kills at the Altamont in California• Technology advances in turbines have resulted in more “bird friendly” wind energy facilities, sites screened better• Many questions still remain such as population impacts, biological significance and potential indirect impacts such as grassland bird displacement, impacts to sage grouse or other local or regional species of concern – eiders in Alaska• Efforts are underway to understand the benefits of renewable energy generation on the natural environment vs. possible impacts on the environment from non-renewable generation• Unique situations (some California projects) have resulted in curtailment of turbine operations during periods of high bird use as an effort to reduce high levels of mortalities
Minimizing potential project impacts:• Some level of pre-development ecological studies and impact assessments are required in most states to “site” the facility in appropriate areas• Pre-construction Site Evaluations are important• It’s a young industry!
Northwest avian fatality monitoring study results• Five projects located in eastern Oregon and Washington were studied a minimum of one year after construction –1-2.5 years. Project size: 16 to 454 turbines• Fatality estimates from four projects with comparable study methods indicates an annual fatality range of 0.6 to 3.6 birds per turbine per year 0 to .07 raptors per turbine per year39 species 63% of composition was horned larks, ring-necked pheasants, golden crowned-kinglet, western meadowlark and gray partridge• Reporting of incidental discoveries of bird and bat carcasses or injured animals is on-going at all five projects
Limiting Impactsto birds and other biological resources• It’s a team effort! Includes studying the site and the ecology• The developers involve agency biologists, local people and landowners
Technical Advisory Committees (TAC)• TACs or Local Stakeholder Groups can be used during planning and/or after construction for the operations phase• Each project has a group of interested citizens, agency biologists and landowners. • Members include State biologists, USFWS biologists and/or law enforcement personnel, Audubon or local environmental group, landowners, County Planning Dept. Rep., the developer/operator, wildlife consultants and advisory members
Habitat and topography of small, medium and large size wind projects varies….gentle rolling hills, prominent ridges of Stateline, and near shoreline of rivers, lakes and coast
Pre-construction studiesinclude delineating habitat/land cover types to identify vegetative types andto assess direct and indirect impacts on various plants and animals
Habitat mitigation may include habitat improvementprojects or Conservation Easements• Exclusion of cattle or horses to relieve grazing pressure on native bunchgrass (seed production) and to eliminate trampling of animal burrows (exclusion may be temporary or permanent)• Controlling weeds and seeding with native seed mixtures• Temporarily disturbed areas seeded with “native-like”seed mixtures• Sites are monitored to determine success of goals established in consultation with the state biologists
Clean, renewable energy for now and future generations
Feasibility Studies in Southeast and Southwest Alaska
Wind Prospecting and Wildlife Screening at Hoonah
AcknowledgementsBat slides–Merlin Tuttle and Ed Arnett Bat Conservation International and Bob Gritski, NWC, Inc.Bat text–Greg Johnson WEST Inc.Pre-construction and Operational Monitoring Studies FPL Energy Nat’l Renewable Energy LabEnergy Northwest Nat’l Wind Coordinating CommitteeNorthwestern Wind Power Bristol Bay Native Corp.SeaWest Wind Power Southeast Alaska Native CorpBonneville Power Admin. Columbia Energy PartnersLast Mile Electric Cooperative Eurus Corp. Numerous Consulting Firms PPM Energy
Karen KronnerPresidentNorthwest Wildlife Consultants, Inc.815 NW 4thSt.Pendleton, Oregon 97801ph 541-278-2987