NRG Systems, Inc., a designer and manufacturer of smart technologies for a range of wind, solar, and meteorological applications, recently announced that Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) is providing installation support for its Bat Deterrent Systems.
To date, the global supplier of wind power solutions has led system deployments in the United States and Canada.
NRG’s pioneering Bat Deterrent Systems use ultrasound to dissuade bats from entering the rotor-swept zone of a turbine. Each system features multiple ultrasound-generating units that are mounted on the nacelle of a turbine, as well as a controller unit for seamless integration into a wind plant’s SCADA system.
“We are always looking for ways to mitigate risks to wildlife,” said James Crouse, Siemens Gamesa’s Aftermarket Category Manager — Mods & Ups. “Working with NRG to bring the bat deterrent technology to our customers has been advantageous for all stakeholders. When Siemens Gamesa performs the installation, we are giving our customers peace of mind knowing the structural integrity of the wind turbine is preserved and the warranty intact.”
The first SGRE-led installation was in April 2020 at Northland Power’s 100-MW Grand Bend Wind Farm in Grand Bend, Ontario, Canada. Wind plants in Ontario are subject to some of the most stringent bat mortality regulations in the world. To mitigate risk and help conserve local bat populations, SGRE installed Bat Deterrent Systems on six of the site’s 40 Siemens Gamesa wind turbines.
“We needed to find a deterrent technology to reduce bat mortality without having a significant impact on production, and are optimistic that the NRG acoustic deterrent system will be effective,” said Jim Mulvale, Northland Power’s Senior Director, Environment. “We were pleased by how smoothly procurement, installation, and commissioning went, despite the challenges posed by COVID-19.”
In June 2020, Siemens Gamesa installed Bat Deterrent Systems on all eight of the direct drive wind turbines at Auwahi Wind, a 21-MW wind farm co-owned by AEP Energy Partners and BP Wind Energy. Auwahi is on the southeast coast of Maui, Hawaii, where conservation of the endangered Hawaiian hoary bat is particularly pressing.
“Since 2012, Auwahi Wind has worked hard to minimize potential impacts to the Hawaiian hoary bat, an important cultural resource in Hawaii,” said Greg Hall, president of AEP. “We are committed to bat conservation as we produce clean renewable energy for the state of Hawaii.”
Siemens Gamesa plans to install Bat Deterrent Systems at additional wind plants in North America in the coming months.
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