EUROBATS Publication Series EUROBATS No. 6 Europe is faced with the need to tackle climate change and pollution and to find sustainable means to meet demands for energy generation. Thus the promotion of alternative methods for the production of energy such as wind power has been intensified. The low-emission production of wind energy brings benefits for the environment but on the other hand causes problems for wildlife, such as certain bat species. Therefore EUROBATS has developed guidelines for assessing potential im- pacts of wind turbines on bats and for planning, construction and operation of wind turbines in ac- cordance with the ecological requirements of bat populations. A first version of the guidelines was published in 2008, having the primary purpose to raise aware- ness amongst developers and planners of the need to consider bats and their roosts, migration routes and foraging areas. Guidelines should also be of interest to local and national consenting authorities who are required to draw up strategic sustainable energy plans. Furthermore, it was a base for national guidelines that were subse- quently published in several countries. A large amount of research has been carried out Guidelines for consideration into the impacts of wind turbines on bats and the increased knowledge urged for this revision of the of bats in wind farm projects document. The revised guidelines are applicable to larger wind farm developments in urban as well as in rural areas, on the land as well as offshore. Revision 2014 Some case studies were included to illustrate implementation of mitigation measures in some ISBN 978-92-95058-30-9 (printed version) countries. Member countries should adapt these ,2ODRIGUESs,"ACHs- *$UBOURG 3AVAGEs"+ARAPANDäA guidelines to their situation and prepare or update their national guidelines accordingly. ISBN 978-92-95058-31-6 $+OVACs4+ERVYNs*$EKKERs!+EPELs0"ACHs*#OLLINS (electronic version) #(ARBUSCHs+0ARKs"-ICEVSKIs*-INDERMAN 2ODRIGUES , "ACH - * $UBOURG 3AVAGE " +ARAPANDäA $ +OVAC 4 +ERVYN *$EKKER !+EPEL 0"ACH *#OLLINS #(ARBUSCH +0ARK "-ICEVSKI *-INDERMAN (2015): Guidelines for consideration of bats in wind farm projects - Revision 2014. %52/"!430UBLICATION3ERIES.O%NGLISHVERSION 5.%0%52/"!433ECRETARIAT Bonn, Germany, 133 pp. 0RODUCEDBY 5.%0%52/"!43 #OORDINATOR 3UREN'AZARYAN%52/"!433ECRETARIAT %DITORS 3UREN'AZARYAN 4INE-EYER #ORDS 0ROOFREADING *EAN-ATTHEWS $ESIGN 3ANDRA-ENZEL ¥!GREEMENTONTHE#ONSERVATIONOF0OPULATIONSOF%UROPEAN"ATS5.%0%52/"!43 This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part and in any form for educational or non-profit purposes without special permission from the copyright holder, provided acknow- LEDGEMENTOFTHESOURCEISMADE5.%0%52/"!43WOULDAPPRECIATERECEIVINGACOPYOFANY publication that uses this publication as a source. No use of this publication may be made for resale or for any other commercial purpose WHATSOEVERWITHOUTPRIORPERMISSIONINWRITINGFROM5.%0%52/"!43 #OPIESOFTHISPUBLICATIONAREAVAILABLEFROMTHE 5.%0%52/"!433ECRETARIAT 5NITED.ATIONS#AMPUS 0LATZDER6EREINTEN.ATIONEN 53113 Bonn, Germany Tel (+49) 228 815 24 21 UNEP promotes Fax (+49) 228 815 24 45 E-mail [email protected] environmentally sound practices Web www.eurobats.org globally and in its own activities. This publication is printed on chlorine-free, FSC- ISBN 978-92-95058-30-9 (printed version) ISBN 978-92-95058-31-6 (electronic version) certified, 60% recycled paper, using environment- ally friendly practices. Our distribution policy aims to Cover photo: Fiona Mathews, UK reduce UNEP's carbon footprint. Guidelines for consideration of bats in wind farm projects – Revision 2014 Contents Foreword 6 1 Introduction 7 2 General aspects of the planning process 10 2.1 Site selection phase 10 #ONSTRUCTIONPHASE 2.3 Operation phase 13 $ECOMMISSIONINGPHASE 2.5 Micro- and small wind turbines 14 #ARRYINGOUTIMPACTASSESSMENTS Goals of the impact assessment in relation to bats 17 0RE SURVEYASSESSMENT #OLLATIONANDREVIEWOFEXISTINGINFORMATION 3.2 Survey 20 3.2.1 Survey design 20 3.2.2 Survey methods 21 3.2.2.1 Land-based wind turbines 21 3.2.2.2 Offshore wind turbines 23 3.2.2.3 Micro- and small wind turbines 24 3.2.3 Survey effort 24 3.2.4 Type of survey 25 3.2.4.1 Onshore survey 25 a) Investigation of important roost sites 25 b) Bat detector surveys on the ground 25 c) Activity surveys at height 26 d) Equipment requirements 26 e) Timing of survey 27 Manual bat detector surveys from the ground 27 Automated bat detector survey at the proposed wind turbine locations 27 #ONTINUOUSAUTOMATEDBATDETECTORMONITORING Within all types of woodland 28 3.2.4.2 Offshore survey 29 a) Surveys from land 29 b) Surveys at sea 29 c) Timing of surveys 29 3 EUROBATS Publication Series No. 6 Guidelines for consideration of bats in wind farm projects – Revision 2014 3.2.5 Survey report and evaluation 29 (OWEFFECTIVEARETHEMITIGATIONMEASURESTHATAREUSEDTODAY 2EPOWERING%XTENSION (OWLARGEISTHEEFFECTONPOPULATIONS ESPECIALLYTHECUMULATIVEEFFECT of wind farms? 55 4 Monitoring the impacts 32 )NWHICHHABITATSLANDSCAPESWINDTURBINESSHOULDNOTBEALLOWEDDUE 4.1 Monitoring of activity at nacelle height 32 to high collision rate? 56 4.2 Monitoring of mortality 34 6.6 What is the behaviour of bats migrating over large water bodies, 4.2.1 Searching for bat fatalities 34 especially seas? In what numbers do they exhibit this behaviour? 57 A 3EARCHPLOTSIZE 6.7 Small wind turbines 58 b) Number of sampled wind turbines 35 c) Time interval between samples 35 #ONTENTOFNATIONALGUIDELINES d) Monitoring schedule 35 $EVELOPINGNATIONALGUIDELINES e) Search methods and recording results 35 #OMPLIANCEOFNATIONALGUIDELINESWITH%52/"!43'UIDELINES 4.2.2 Estimation of fatalities 36 7.3 The content of national guidelines 61 A #ARCASSREMOVALTRIALS 7.4 Adapting guidelines to local conditions 63 b) Searcher efficiency trials 36 7.5 Ensuring implementation of guidelines 64 c) Mortality estimators 38 D #UMULATIVEEFFECTS #ONCLUSIONSANDFURTHERWORK 5 Avoidance, mitigation and compensation 40 2EFERENCESFURTHERREADING 5.1 Fatalities 41 5.1.1 Avoidance 42 10 Glossary 79 0LANNINGOFSITELAYOUT 0REVENTIONOFROOSTSITESDESTRUCTIONWHILEBATSAREPRESENTWITHINTHEM Acknowledgements 81 5.1.1.3 Elimination of attraction factors 43 5.1.2 Mitigation 44 Annex 1: Studies done in Europe 82 5.1.2.1 Blade feathering and increase of cut-in wind speeds 44 $ETERRENTS Annex 2: Reported bat fatalities in Europe (2003-2014) 124 #OMPENSATION ,OSS$ETERIORATIONOF(ABITATS Annex 3: Maximum foraging distances of species and height of flight 126 5.2.1 Avoidance 49 5.2.2 Mitigation 49 Annex 4: $ETECTABILITYCOEFFICIENTSTOCOMPAREACTIVITYINDICES 132 #OMPENSATION $ISTURBANCE 5.3.1 Avoidance 51 5.3.2 Mitigation 51 6 Research priorities 52 6.1 Why do bats collide with turbines? 52 6.2 What are the best methods to assess likely impacts on bats from wind turbine construction during impact assessments and post-construction monitoring (Methodology development)? 54 4 5 EUROBATS Publication Series No. 6 Guidelines for consideration of bats in wind farm projects – Revision 2014 Foreword 1 Introduction Following Resolution 4.7, approved at the OF 0ARTIES ,JUBLJANA 3LOVENIA n 3EP- 0RESENTLY THEREAREBATSPECIESOCCUR- lished that wind turbines can have nega- 4th 3ESSION OF THE -EETING OF 0ARTIES OF tember 2006) as an Annex to Resolution ring in the EUROBATS area and listed un- tive impacts on bats (e.g. ARNETT et al. EUROBATS (Sofia, Bulgaria, 22–24 Sep- 5.6. Those guidelines were published in der the Agreement. Bats are legally pro- 2008, BAERWALD & BARCLAY 2014, RYDELL et al. TEMBER THE!DVISORY#OMMITTEEOF %52/"!43 0UBLICATION 3ERIES RODRIGUES tected in all European countries. Those 2010a, LEHNERT et al. 2014). Bat mortality at the Agreement was requested to assess et al. 2008). According to Resolution 6.12 occurring in the EU countries are pro- WINDTURBINESOCCURSDUETOCOLLISIONAND the evidence regarding the impacts of wind of the 6th 3ESSION OF THE -EETING OF 0AR- TECTED BY THE (ABITATS $IRECTIVE ALL SPE- or barotrauma (ARNETT et al. 2008, BAER- turbines on bat populations. Also, if ap- TIES 0RAGUE #ZECH 2EPUBLIC n 3EP- CIESARELISTEDIN!NNEX)6OFTHISDIRECTIVE WALD et al. 2008, GRODSKY et al. 2011, ROLLINS propriate, to develop voluntary guidelines tember 2010), these guidelines (and any (Member States are required to take the et al. 2012). for assessing potential impacts on bats subsequently updated versions) should be requisite measures to establish a system and for the construction of wind turbines, the basis for national guidance to be devel- of strict protection for them in their natu- taking into account the ecological require- oped and implemented, with consideration ral range) and some of them additionally ments of bat populations. In response to of the local environment. in Annex II (species of community interest this request, an Intersessional Working The guidelines have subsequently been whose conservation requires the designa- Group (IWG) was established during the updated and the revised version (this doc- tion of special areas of conservation). In 9th-EETINGOFTHE!DVISORY#OMMITTEE ument) was adopted at the 7th Session of addition, most species are redlisted in one 6ILNIUS ,ITHUANIA n-AY 3OME THE-EETINGOF0ARTIES"RUSSELS "ELGIUM or more countries in Europe and on the members of this IWG volunteered to pre- 15–17 September 2014) as an Annex to Res- )5#.2ED,IST)5#. pare guidelines for assessing potential im- olution 7.5. Europe continues to be faced with the pacts of wind turbines on bats,