Birds and bats colliding into large wind turbines were a big concern when the renewable energy projects began appearing across the state.
The Conversation recently toured the newest wind turbines in Kahuku on Oʻahu, AES Hawaiʻi's Nā Pua Makani project. It was surprisingly quiet.
The turbines sport a new system designed to deter bats from the area.
AES Hawaiʻi President Sandra Larsen spoke to HPR about the project and its recent success in reducing the threat to Hawaiʻi's endangered birds and mammals — in particular, the Hawaiian hoary bat.
"We have a bat deterrent mechanism on the turbines that sends out ultrasonic. You can't hear it with the human ear, but the bats can hear it, and that will keep them away from the turbine," Larsen said.
She said that since the start of operations in December 2020, there has only been one bat strike.
"It's been really effective, and the team does a really good job of just searching and making sure that we are being diligent and making sure that we're mitigating any impact on wildlife," Larsen said.
AES said that based on the project's success, an older neighboring wind farm is installing a similar deterrent.
The Nā Pua Makani wind turbines generate enough power for 16,000 homes — that's 24 megawatts of green energy. It's a key part of the state's goal of reaching 100% renewable energy by 2045.
The eight turbines, which reach 40 stories high, can be turned off in a New York minute and are monitored 24 hours a day by teams located on Oʻahu and the mainland.
"We really need, as an island, to move towards sustainability and resiliency for our islands, and having these clean renewable resources is really important for us to get there," Larsen said.
This interview aired on The Conversation on Sept. 18, 2024. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
