【New Energy Development】British researchers find that wind farms may kill large numbers of bats

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Key point: If this is used to estimate the situation in all onshore wind farms in the UK, it could mean that around 80,000 bats die each year due to wind turbines. According to a report by Reference News on November 9, foreign media say a study has found that wind farms may cause tens of thousands of bats to die each year, even those for which risk assessments were conducted to prevent such occurrences. According to a report on the website of the UK’s Daily Telegraph on November 7, researchers at Exeter University in the UK used sniffer dogs to locate the bodies of bats that died near wind turbines, in order to assess the severity of the problem. A survey of 29 wind farms found that 194 bats died within a month. However, this figure could be higher, as the carcasses of many bats may have fallen into the mouths of scavengers. If this is used to estimate the situation in all onshore wind farms in the UK, it could mean that around 80,000 bats die each year due to turbines. This study also shows that for every additional meter of turbine blade length, the risk of bat death increases by 18%. Fiona Matthews from the University of Exeter is in charge of this research project, which is partially funded by **. She said that during peak bat migration or breeding seasons, such as on summer nights, wind farm operators should be encouraged to shut down the turbines. Scientists believe that bats may turn off their sonar systems when flying at high altitudes, as they feel that nothing will be in their way; they might also be attracted to the insects gathered near the turbine blades. The main victims of wind turbines are smaller bats with reddish-brown fur and dark brown ears. However, the body of another larger species of European bat was also found near the turbine; this bat sometimes hunts moths, beetles, and other flying insects before sunset. Furthermore, a bat species that was recently found to have migratory habits has also become a victim of wind turbines. This has raised concerns among researchers that wind farms, whether on land or at sea, could pose a threat to their flight routes. These research findings were published in the American journal Current Biology, issued bimonthly. Paul Lintott, the lead author of the paper, said that although wind farms do cause bat deaths, renewable energy brings broader benefits, not only by reducing greenhouse gas emissions but also by having a positive impact on global biodiversity.