NP, a leading independent renewable energy consultancy operating globally, required a system for the curtailment of wind turbines when a high risk of bat fatality is present on windfarms. In the US, the current blanket curtailment approach in response to high wind speed minimises bat fatalities (an endangered mammal) but at a significant economic cost to operators even when there are no bats in the area. Estimates suggest that 25% to 75% of curtailment hours may be unnecessary.
Working closely with NP and Elekon AG (a Swiss-based supplier of Batlogger equipment for recording and analysing the location of bats), Bridgeall custom developed the software underpinning a Bat Smart Curtailment System to minimise these economic costs. The system removes the need for blanket curtailment by monitoring bat activity in real-time, curtailing turbines only when relative risk value has reached a certain level.