Duke Energy Renewables is working with NRG Systems, Inc. to install an innovative bat deterrent system. The technology uses ultrasound to block the sonar that bats use to navigate in the dark, causing them to avoid areas around the wind turbines.
Duke Energy Renewables will install NRG Systems’ Bat Deterrent System over a five-year period at 255 wind turbines at its Los Vientos III, IV and V wind sites beginning in July 2019. This will mark the first commercial deployment of the Bat Deterrent System in the continental US.
The Rio Grande Valley, where the Los Vientos wind projects are located, has a robust population of common bat species that provide tremendous pest control benefits to local farmers and ranchers. Maintaining this local bat population was the impetus behind a two-year field study conducted by Duke Energy Renewables, NRG Systems and Texas State University. The study found that the Bat Deterrent System reduced overall bat fatalities by 50% around wind turbine locations at Los Vientos III, IV and V.
Mr Greg Aldrich, lead environmental scientist with Duke Energy said that “At Duke Energy, we’re focused on generating clean, renewable energy for customers while also protecting the native wildlife around our generation facilities. With this new technology, we’re pleased that we’ll be able to significantly reduce the impacts on bats and continue our environmental leadership in this area.”
Mr Brogan Morton, senior product manager at NRG Systems said that “We are endlessly grateful to the entire Duke Energy team for the crucial role they played in bringing this technology to market. Their participation in the two-year study coupled with their willingness to share their expertise with us helped us create a commercially viable Bat Deterrent System that we expect will have considerable benefits both in terms of wildlife conservation and renewable energy generation. Their implementation of our systems at Los Vientos is the next chapter in what has so far been a successful and rewarding collaboration.”
Source : STRATEGIC RESEARCH INSTITUTE, STEELGURU
