A new study shows temporarily stopping wind turbines during peak bat activity could cut bat deaths by over 80%.
Study finds wind turbine curbing reduces bat deaths
A study published in the Journal of Applied Ecology on October 20, 2026, found that temporarily stopping wind turbines during peak bat activity could reduce bat mortality by more than 80 percent. Scientists from the Museum of Natural History conducted the research, which indicates that bats are attracted to the silhouette of wind turbines, sometimes mistaking them for trees, and are also drawn to the large quantity of insects around the turbines. This attraction can lead to collisions with rotating blades. It is estimated that 60,000 bats die annually from such collisions.Bats are active at night and drawn to turbines
Researchers measured the effect of turbine curbing, which involves stopping turbines under specific conditions. According to Andréas Ravache, one of the study's authors and a researcher at CESCO, bats are primarily active at night and are more active when the wind is weak and the temperature is high. The study found that curbing based on bat activity periods reduces their mortality by more than 80 percent, affecting both long-range echolocating bats and medium-range echolocating bats.Wind turbine curbing is partially implemented in France
The curbing regulation is already in place in slightly less than half of the 600 French wind parks. This technique leads to a loss of produced energy between 10 percent and 15 percent. If the curbing is optimized, including parameters such as precipitation, the loss can drop to only 3 percent to 5 percent. France has more than 10,000 wind turbines that produce about 10 percent of the national electricity.Bats play a key role in insect control
Bats are essential for biodiversity, as they consume insects potentially harmful to crops. These mammals can consume up to 80 percent of their body weight in insects each night in temperate zones. The researchers note that the loss of habitats is the main threat to bats and emphasize the importance of ensuring that wind projects are not installed in vital sites for the species.
