Articles | Volume 11, issue 8
https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-11-3077-2026
https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-11-3077-2026
Research article
 | 
27 Aug 2026
Research article |  | 27 Aug 2026

On the effects of bat protection strategies on energy production and structural loads of wind farms

Vasilis Pettas, Tuhfe Göçmen, Thomas Duc, Andreas Vad, and Antonina Vukobrat

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Cited articles

Adams, E. M., Gulka, J., and Williams, K. A.: A review of the effectiveness of operational curtailment for reducing bat fatalities at terrestrial wind farms in North America, PLoS ONE, 16, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256382, 2021. a
Ardillon, E., Bakhoday Paskyabi, M., Cousin, A., Dimitrov, N., Dupoiron, M., Eldevik, S., Fekhari, E., Ferreira, C., Guiton, M., Jezequel, B., Joulin, P.-A., Lovera, A., Mayol, L., and Penchah, M. R.: Turbine Loading and Wake Model Uncertainty, D3-2, European Union, https://hal.science/hal-04096504 (last access: 25 August 2026), 2023. a
Arnett, E. B. and May, R. F.: Mitigating wind energy impacts on wildlife: approaches for multiple taxa, Human–Wildlife Interactions, 10, 28–41, https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/24874154 (last access: 25 August 2026), 2016. a
Arnett, E. B., Huso, M. M., Schirmacher, M. R., and Hayes, J. P.: Altering turbine speed reduces bat mortality at wind-energy facilities, Front. Ecol. Environ., 9, 209–214, https://doi.org/10.1890/100103, 2011. a
Bennett, E. M., Florent, S. N., Venosta, M., Gibson, M., Jackson, A., and Stark, E.: Curtailment as a successful method for reducing bat mortality at a southern Australian wind farm, Austral Ecol., 47, 1329–1339, https://doi.org/10.1111/aec.13220, 2022. a
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Short summary
Bat protection in wind farms can require temporarily stopping turbines, reducing energy production and affecting structural loading. We developed a data-driven method combining operational records, bat activity measurements, wind-farm flow modeling, and load models to estimate production impacts and long-term fatigue. In a French onshore case study, event-triggered curtailment reduced production losses relative to fixed schedules, while load impacts were small and depended on wind conditions.
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