Paul Sievert and Zara Dowling’s Research Using Ultrasonic Bat Signal to Warn Sensitive Species Away from Wind-Turbine Blades is Highlighted
Courtesy: UMass News and Media Relations
UMass Amherst Researchers Developing Ultrasonic Bat Signal to Warn Sensitive Species Away from Wind-Turbine Blades
Contact: Patrick J. Callahan 413/545-0444
AMHERST, Mass. – A team of researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Texas A&M University is developing a blade-mounted, ultrasonic whistle for wind turbines that will protect bats by warning them to stay away.
The UMass team will focus on designing and manufacturing of a whistle-like device based on a bat larynx, powered by air flowing over the wind turbine blade. Researchers plan to test the whistle design on bats and create a series of devices that can effectively induce a flight avoidance response for at-risk bat species. Ultimately, the goal is to provide a reliable, cost-effective means of alerting bats to the presence of moving turbine blades as a way to lower bat mortality at wind facilities and reduce regulatory uncertainty for wind facility developers.
The project is funded by a $250,000 grant from the U.S....