What does this project mean?
The operation of wind turbines must take conservation concerns into account. Conservation concerns include, among other things, the protection of bats as they are exposed to a significant collision risk. In order to reduce this risk to an official level set by the authorities, particular limitations for wind turbine operation are defined. These operation limitations are documented in the authorization conditions for a wind turbine.
The operational regulations for a wind turbine are defined in a curtailment plan, which is mostly based on meteorological parameters known to effect bat activity. Measurements of wind speed and ambient temperature at the height of the nacelle are used, along with precipitation data. Limitations for wind turbine operation either follow general curtailment times over a defined time period, or curtailment times are differentiated according to the time of year and the time of night.
Compliance with these conditions and their correct implementation are often difficult for the responsible local authorities to verify, due to a lack of preparation of the extensive amount of wind turbine operational data the authorities receive.
Our assessment provides a well-founded evaluation of the implementation of wind turbine operation curtailments for the protection of bats.
What does OekoFor do?
We prepare the operational data from wind turbines and compare the data with officially defined curtailment plan for each wind turbine. The results are portrayed in diagrams and summarized in a report.
We carry out assessments of the compliance of wind turbine operation to curtailment requirements, regarding bat protection, on a random sample basis. These assessments are carried out on behalf of the regional governments of Freiburg and Karlsruhe.
Clients & Partners
The regional government of Freiburg and the regional government of Karlsruhe are contracting authorities of OekoFor GbR.
