Vermont Patent of the Month – February 2021
With the advent of clean renewable energy, wind turbines are an increasingly popular option. They produce an endless supply of clean energy and provide a potential alternative to coal and oil energy sources. They are not without issues though. They present an obstruction to bats and birds, often resulting in death from collision. Many wind farms are also developed in areas that are native to threatened bat species, endangering them further. NRG Systems has designed a bat deterrent method so that they will steer clear of the turbines, providing a compromise between species health and clean energy access.
The product will deter bats from entering into a wind turbine’s rotor-swept zone, so the wind turbine can remain operational without harming the bats. The deterrent comes in the form of multiple transducer boxes which emit an ultrasonic frequency. Different transducers emit different frequencies. The frequencies are based on the frequencies used by bats in echolocation, which might differ between species. They can also be set to emit in different patterns – continuous noise, pulses of noise, sweeping and so on. These different patterns and frequencies cover a broad range of bat species and also prevent them from getting used to a specific sound, so the deterrent system will continue to work.
About NRG Systems
NRG Systems is a subsidiary of ESCO Technologies Inc., a global provider of highly-engineered products and solutions to a variety of end-markets, including the aerospace, electric utility, and renewable energy industries. It is our shared belief that a multi-segment approach enhances the strength and stability of sales and earnings growth by providing lower risk through diversification. We also believe that innovation is essential to this strategy.
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