A Legacy of Care...
Wind Industry Adopts Voluntary Protocol to Reduce Bat Impacts

The U.S. wind energy industry announced a new voluntary operating protocol that is expected to reduce impacts to bats from operating wind turbines by as much as 30%. The American Wind Energy Association developed the agreement with support from 17 of its member companies.

Under the agreement, wind operators will voluntarily limit turbine operations in low-wind speed conditions during the fall bat migration season when the mammals are most at risk of collision. The new protocols are based on more than 10 years of research by the Bats and Wind Energy Cooperative and others.