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....
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Paul Sievert and Zara Dowling Among Collaborators Awarded Dept. of Energy Grant for Wind Turbine Bat Deterrent

The project entitled: "A Biomimetic Ultrasonic Whistle for Use as a Bat Deterrent on Wind Turbines " will focus on design and manufacturing of a biomimetic ultrasonic pulse generator for use as a bat deterrent on wind turbines. During the design a whistle-like device emulated based on a bat larynx, mechanically powered via air flow over the wind turbine blade. We will carry out an iterative process of whistle design alternating with laboratory testing on bats to create a series of devices which 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, reducing bat mortality at wind facilities, and reducing regulatory uncertainty for wind facility developers. Initially, we will directly model the larynx of the greater horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) in order to reproduce key aspects of its acoustic behavior. Specifically, we intend to create a biomimetic device that (i) produces...
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