Current State of Knowledge of Wind Energy Impacts on Bats in South Africa

Abstract

The transition to mitigate climate change necessitates a rapid and global diffusion of renewable energy but this should not jeopardise the need to meet similarly important targets for biodiversity. Wind energy is a leading cause of bat mortality globally, yet little is known about the impacts to bats in Africa. I studied these impacts in South Africa to enhance knowledge on wind energy impacts on African bats. I reviewed data from 59 studies published in scientific journals and technical reports of operational monitoring of bat fatalities at wind turbines. Bat fatalities occurred at all operating wind energy facilities in South Africa. Tadarida aegyptiaca accounted for the majority of carcasses, followed by Neoromicia capensis and Miniopterus natalensis. The majority of fatalities were of non-migratory species and occurred between February and April although bats were killed in all months. Bat fatality differed between wind energy facilities in terms of observed fatality/year, estimated fatality/year and estimated fatality/MW/year but these differences could not be explained by broad scale vegetation patterns. Total estimated bat fatality between 2011 and 2020 was 12,601 bats. Mean fatality/MW/year was 2.8 bats. I estimate that between 2013 and 2050, a minimum of 996,974 bats may be killed at South African wind energy facilities. My results present the first estimates of the scale of potential wind energy impacts to bats in South Africa and the African continent.