Natural Power has launched a new and improved way of working to reduce bat fatalities whilst minimising impact on energy yield. Natural Power’s fifteen in-house bat experts will collaborate closely with the wind technical team to assess the effect of bat mitigation measures on wind energy yield, to the point of putting a value on curtailment methods in place, and planning the most effective strategies for maintaining and maximising turbine uptime.
The team has delivered bat services to Keirs Hill Wind Farm, East Ayrshire, where a full baseline assessment was completed including the use of bat detectors at height, and preparation of the impact assessment as part of the environmental survey. Also, at Twin Rivers Wind Farm in Yorkshire, the team is ensuring that bat issues are properly dealt with during construction. It is expected that the Bat Conservation Trust will launch new, more stringent, guidance in relation to bats and wind farms in May.