Accessing prerequisites for bat-friendly operation of offshore wind turbines
Offshore wind turbines pose a significant threat to bats migrating over the North and Baltic Seas. Bat protection and offshore wind energy development are compatible if bats are taken into account in the planning process and are protected from collisions with the rotors through bat-friendly operation. A standardised recording and evaluation procedure is to be developed for this purpose, and the application maturity of targeted curtailments as avoidance measures with minimal yield reduction is to be achieved.
Approach
The project aims are
- Development of a scientific basis for the evaluation of acoustic activity data to assess the impact of offshore wind turbines on bats under species protection law.
- Investigating how focal migration events of bats at sea can be predicted at short notice to avoid collisions. Temporarily shutting down specific wind turbines is a technical measure to avoid bat collisions while also minimizing expected yield losses.
- Creating a framework for a standardised risk assessment of bats at specific offshore wind turbines and thus be able to take the necessary protective measures through targeted operational control (shutdowns) with minimised yield losses.
- Study assessment methods and mitigation measures applied in other EU countries.
- Develop a research concept and conduct a field study as a basis for the assessment of bat activity and prediction of focal migration events.
- Develop an assessment method for bat activity based on existing data and the field study.
- Develop a predictive model for focal migration events based on existing data and the field study as a basis for optimised shutdown times.
- Prepare a final report and scientific publication.
Project management
NABU Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union)
Wismarsche Str. 146, D-19053 Schwerin
Antje Seebens-Hoyer
Tel.: +49 385 5938980
Antje.Seebens-Hoyer@NABU-MV.de
Funding authority
Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN)
II 3.3 Human impacts & ecological issues in marine projects
Anne Bartels
Anne.Bartels@BfN.de
Topics
Wind energy and batsKeywords
Bats Wind Power Offshore Wind Power Federal Nature Conservation Act Species Protection International National Regional Field Studies Modelling Literature Reviews and Analysis Conferences and Workshops Method Development Standards Expansion of Impact Knowledge Expert Recommendations Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation CompletedRelated News
Monitoring reports and field surveys sought for an ongoing expert assessment of birds, bats, sand lizards and field hamsters
November 7, 2024, 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., Tagungszentrum im Haus der Bundespressekonferenz, Berlin
6 November 2024, 3.00–5.30 pm, Conference Centre at the Federal Press Conference Building, Berlin & online via livestream
Related Projects
FKZ 3515821900 FKZ3515821900 BATMOVE
The project aims to improve and link information about the spatial and temporal distribution of migratory bats across the North and Baltic Seas. This will create an initial basis for developing…
BeBeO - Bird migration detection at offshore wind turbines
A sub-project is developing a study design that quantifies the attraction effect of night-time lighting of offshore wind turbines on bird migration and determines the effects on collision risk.
Multibird III
Scientific analyses of the offshore occurrence of migratory birds using an integrated database of monitoring and research data from a multi-sensor system.
FKZ 3519861300 FKZ3519861300 Batmobile - Impact of offshore wind farms on bats in the German Bight and the Baltic
As part of the expansion of renewable energies in Germany, the further expansion of offshore wind energy is also planned. Consequently, there is an increasing risk of collision and thus mortality for…
![[Translate to English:]](/fileadmin/_processed_/b/8/csm_Batmobil_NyctalusNoctula-AntjeSeebens-Hoyer_teas_fb72aef5b9.png "[Translate to English:]")