Whilst the average rotor diameter of wind turbines in Germany is steadily increasing, different tower heights can be achieved at the same time. Depending on the chosen turbine configuration, the distance between the tip of the rotor and the ground may be relatively small. As a result, depending on the type of turbine, the foraging ranges of many bat species may be affected, which in turn influences the overall risk of collision.
The nature conservation assessment and risk analysis carried out as part of the project on the new-generation wind turbine types under consideration show that the conflicts with species protection legislation arising from their construction and operation are not adequately addressed by the existing instruments of planning practice and planning permission law. Against this background, the research and development project presented the latest technical developments and assessed them from a nature conservation perspective. Overall, regulating the operation of wind turbines during periods of high bat activity remains the only effective mitigation measure to date for bats, a species group particularly at risk of collision.
BfN-PraxisInfo 13: Bewertung der Auswirkungen von Windenergieanlagen der neuen Generation auf das Kollisionsrisiko von Fledermäusen. 2026 (available in German only)