Bats are a vital species that support the planet’s ecological health while also providing pest control and serving as pollinators for many agricultural products—the value of which equates to an economic boost of $23 billion in the United States.1 However, nearly half of the estimated 1,400 bat species globally are threatened by white-nose syndrome and other factors, according to the Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Several bat species have already been or are likely to be listed under the Endangered Species Act over the next few years.
Considering this reality, Invenergy’s Environmental, Compliance and Strategy (ECS) team celebrated and acknowledged the significance of Bat Week, an annual celebration that recognizes the importance of these mammals and raises awareness of the efforts to conserve their populations. As a company committed to responsibly siting our renewable energy projects, we are proud to support initiatives that can help this threatened and critical species.
What is Invenergy doing to help bats?
The ECS team works with developers, engineers, asset managers, and other departments to ensure that our projects minimize risk to bats to the greatest degree possible. Starting with siting, we work with consultants to conduct surveys that allow us to better understand how bats are utilizing our project areas and strive to avoid potential bat habitat and priority resources. These surveys may reveal the presence of endangered species, which could require further siting and operational considerations.
The ECS team works to ensure that we operate at the forefront of conservation by leveraging technology and research that furthers conservation while continuing to allow Invenergy to grow.
To help celebrate Bat Week, check out the resources below:
1 Boyles, J. G., Cryan, P. M., McCracken, G. F., & Kunz, T. H. (2011). Economic importance of bats in agriculture. Science, 332(6025), 41-42.