Oceanic records of North American bats and implications for offshore wind energy development in the United States

ABSTRACT: Abstract Offshore wind energy is a growing industry in the United States, and renewable energy from offshore wind is estimated to double the country's total electricity generation. There is growing concern that land‐based wind development in North America is negatively impacting bat populations, primarily long‐distance migrating bats, but the impacts to bats from offshore wind energy are unknown. Bats are associated with the terrestrial environment, but have been observed over the ocean. In this review, we synthesize historic and contemporary accounts of bats observed and acoustically recorded in the North American marine environment to ascertain the spatial and temporal distribution of bats flying offshore. We incorporate studies of offshore bats in Europe and of bat behavior at land‐based wind energy studies to examine how offshore wind development could impact North American bat populations. We find that most offshore bat records are of long‐distance migrating bats and records occur during autumn migration, the period of highest fatality rates for long‐distance migrating bats at land‐based wind facilities in North America. We summarize evidence that bats may be attracted to offshore turbines, potentially increasing their exposure to risk of collision. However, higher wind speeds offshore can potentially reduce the amount of time that bats are exposed to risk. We identify knowledge gaps and hypothesize that a combination of operational minimization strategies may be the most effective approach for reducing impacts to bats and maximizing offshore energy production. Much has been learned about bat interactions with land‐based turbines in North America over the past 15 years, but little is known about potential risks and impacts to bats in the maritime environment despite a sociopolitical push to develop this resource. We synthesize historic and contemporary records of bats observed and acoustically recorded in North American waters to gain a better understanding of the offshore occurrence and behavior of North American bats and to place this in the context of offshore wind energy development in the United States. We aim to elucidate which North American bat species are most at risk, when and where we might expect the highest fatalities assuming the risk to bats by offshore is similar to terrestrial wind energy development, and whether aspects of offshore bat behavior can help inform mitigation strategies for reducing impacts by offshore wind energy development.

SUBMITTER: Solick D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8571582 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature