Members have selected two new projects to begin in 2026
The Renewable Energy Wildlife Research Fund (REWRF, the Fund) is pleased to announce the results of the 2025 Biennial Project Solicitation. Members have selected the following two projects to move ahead to contracting and kickoff in early 2026:
SOLAR
University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) Energy Resources Center – Pollinator Habitat Aligned with Solar Energy 2 (PHASE2) Tools Expansion and Engagement
- Lead: Dan Salas, UIC
- Collaborators: University of Illinois Urbana Champagne, Argonne National Laboratory, National Laboratory of the Rockies (formerly the National Renewable Energy Laboratory), various industry partners
- Brief: Build on the original PHASE project to expand scope and application of original tools. Products will be free, open, and accessible to support informed planning and decision-making on solar projects. Update cost comparison and seed selection tools from original project and develop additional guidance for other site risk management challenges.
WIND
Western EcoSystems Technology, Inc. (WEST) – Developing Cost-Efficient Monitoring Protocols Informed by Research on Bat Activity and Fatality at Wind Energy Facilities
- Lead: Dr. Amanda Hale, WEST
- Collaborators: Stantec Consulting, Wildlife Imaging Systems (WIS)
- Brief: Using existing and new data, improve understanding of the relationship between bat activity and fatality rates as estimated by post-construction mortality monitoring (PCMM) and develop standardized protocols for managing bat collision risk. Products will include at least one published manuscript and a best practices document for industry.
Click Here to View the Full Fund Project Portfolio
These projects are the 25th and 26th projects sponsored by the Fund since its inception in 2019. The Fund sponsors scientific research to accelerate renewable energy deployment to meet demand for clean energy while mitigating impacts on wildlife. Projects are identified through competitive solicitations on a biennial basis, as well as through informal solicitations on issues brought forward by Members. All Fund-sponsored projects result in a publicly available report that undergoes scientific peer review. For more information visit the Fund webpage: www.rewi.org/renewable-energy-wildlife-research-fund/ or reach out to Fund Lead Audrey Neubauer, aneubauer@rewi.org.
About the Fund
The Renewable Energy Wildlife Research Fund (REWRF, the Fund) is an industry-led initiative advancing scientific research on solutions to mitigate solar- and wind-wildlife impacts as renewable energy deployment accelerates to meet the growing demands for clean energy. REWRF is administered by the Renewable Energy Wildlife Institute (REWI) and steered by its 2025 Executive Committee led by Allison Poe, Repsol Renewables North America (Chair), Jodie Eldridge, NextEra Energy Resources (Vice Chair), and Adam Cernea Clark, Pattern Energy (Secretary).