The Renewable Energy Wildlife Research Fund is excited to announce three new wind projects for 2022.
- Validating a Bat Fatality Detection System: This project is a proof-of-concept study to test and validate a camera technology that is designed to detect when bat fatalities occur, thus providing details on the exact conditions for improving risk assessments and minimization strategies. If effective, this system could be deployed by individual facilities for informing site-specific smart-curtailment.
- Insect Feeding as a Driver of Risk: In the pursuit of minimization tools to reduce wind/wildlife impacts, this study aims to conduct literature reviews to better understand insect feeding as a risk factor by 1) reviewing broadly what is known about insectivorous bat diets using existing literature with focus to evaluate bat foraging near wind turbines; and 2) evaluating if existing crop-pest insect emergence models predict temporal and spatial patterns of bat fatalities
- Lek Persistence of Lesser Prairie-Chicken in Vicinity of Wind Energy Infrastructure: Building on the Fund’s “Wind Energy Impact on Lesser Prairie-Chicken” project, this study further investigates the presence of leks near a wind facility in southwestern Missouri to further evaluate the potential effects on the LEPC population and if siting measures can be improved. At the conclusion of this study, there will be 8-years of long-term monitoring of lesser prairie-chicken within the vicinity of wind energy infrastructure.
In addition, the Research Fund has 9 projects that will be continuing and/or finishing in 2022. Further information regarding those projects can be found on the Fund’s webpage.
The development of the Fund’s solar program is currently underway, with plans to announce the solar projects later in 2022.
Contact Will Vesely for questions/more details.