Wind turbine memorial. Illustration: Rob Biddulph Imagine that at the flick of a switch, you could not only turn a light on or off but select which power source you were going to use. Would an eco warrior choose wind power or coal? Surely this is a no-brainer. Not necessarily.

A 65ft blade from the 290ft turbine fell off and a second was bent in the mysterious incident in Conisholme, Lincs, on Wednesday. ...Scientists at manufacturers Enercon have been looking into the mystery, and dismissed the theories that either a chunk of ice thrown from another turbine, or frozen urine dropped from a passing plane, was the cause.

Councillors have refused to let a school press ahead with a plan for a wind turbine because of fears it will kill bats. Askam Village School had asked Barrow Borough Council for permission to install a 11.7-metre tall turbine in the school grounds, about 40 metres from Lots Road. But Natural England, the government agency responsible for bat conservation, objected and urged the council not to allow it.

Windfarms are blamed for the deaths of large numbers of birds, including the threatened hen harrier, that crash into the spinning blades. But, what's now emerging is that bats are probably more at risk than birds. Up to now little has been known about the effects of windfarms on bats. Something that has mystified researchers, however, is that bats found dead around turbines had no visible injuries. So, are windfarms killing bats without touching them? It seems they are. ..."If bat fatalities continue this has the potential to be really serious. The problem is likely to get much worse with the proliferation of turbines, not just from large power companies erecting them but private individuals doing so as well," Ms Baerwald pointed out.

Plans for a wind farm in north Devon have been rejected on environmental grounds. Torridge District Council turned down the scheme on the grounds of visual impact, noise and the impact on bats at the site near Stibb Cross. Developer Ecotricity is considering whether to appeal against the decision.

Plans for Europe's largest wind farm could still be approved if ministers and environmental agencies can be persuaded to change their interpretation of rules protecting wildlife, councillors in the Western Isles heard yesterday. Ministers indicated last month that they are "minded to refuse" Lewis Wind Power's (LWP) plans for a 181-turbine development on the environmentally sensitive Lewis peatlands, although a final decision has yet to be made. Developers have until 15 February to respond. Following a special meeting of Western Isles Council yesterday, a spokesman for the authority said: "There is determination to do what we can to bring to the Scottish ministers' attention the opportunity that is in danger of being passed up here." ...the council is challenging the government's conclusions and insists the interpretation of environmental rules is too strict. It

Despite common misconceptions, the animals are vital in the food chain to keep down the level of insects. ...Evidence is also mounting that wind turbines are killing bats. Louise Oliver, of the Norfolk and Suffolk Government Team from Natural England, is working with the bat conservation group. Their research has found people with wind turbines often find dead bats near the machinery first thing in the morning.

But then there is the problem of wind turbines. Research in the US and Europe has linked big turbines to bat mortality. In Britain, there has not been enough research yet, but bat conservationists are particularly concerned about micro turbines on houses. "We've had reports of bats killed by micro turbines. It's possible they pose a greater threat because they could be placed right where bats regularly commute," says Williams. "We need to undertake more research. BCT naturally supports all these strategies to reduce energy waste and increase renewables. Our only fear is we don't know what the impacts are on bats and if they go ahead on a large scale before we know, it may be too late."

Bats are being put in danger by the increasing number of wind turbines in Lincolnshire, it has been claimed. Some conservationists have said turbines in the US and Europe have had a serious impact on bat populations. The Bat Conservation Trust has called for talks with the renewable energy industry for more research ahead of more wind farms being built. But the local Green Party dismissed the idea saying there was no evidence impact was significant.

RADAR might help to reduce the number of bats being killed by wind turbines, according to new research. Bats are repelled by electro-magnetic radiation emitted from radar installations, scientists at Aberdeen University have found. They believe fitting radar systems to wind turbines might prevent the bats from flying too close to their rotors. The team studied the behaviour of bats at various distances from ten radar installations across Scotland last summer. They found that bats did not forage in areas where high levels of radiation were present.

A HOTEL owner is being driven batty by planning delays for a wind turbine that could bring green power to his business. Stuart McGlynn, who owns the Norwood Hotel, Whalley Road, Accrington, hopes to place a small turbine on the side of his detached house, behind the hotel. But the possibility that a bat population may be roosting nearby has put a temporary halt to the plans until a wildlife survey is carried out.

THE comprehensive landscape reasons for planners recommending the IW Council turn down the controversial Wellow wind farm have been unveiled to the public, ahead of Monday’s planning decision on the scheme. Consultants acting for the IW Council concluded the six turbines, two of which are nearly 110 metres tall, would have significant adverse effects on the protected landscape, nearby homes and rights of way, and insufficient consideration had been given by applicant Your Energy to mitigating adverse effects on the countryside. Insufficient information was provided on the impact of the turbines on bats.

The Service favors:
--conservation of wildlife in the public trust;
--development of renewable energy that is bird and bat friendly; and
--use of informed decisions based on adequate environmental assessment and sound science.

I am extremely concerned at the detrimental impact the construction of wind turbines on the land adjacent to High Elms Lane, Benington could have on wildlife. It is well known locally that this site supports a large and varied wildlife and many of the species are of national and international importance. It has taken a long time and sympathetic farming to encourage so many species to thrive in this area. A total of 26 mammal species (not counting bats) and 75 bird species have been recorded around the proposed wind farm, along with various amphibians and reptiles.

A series of events on bats look set to be overshadowed by problems affecting the mammals' chances of survival, according to an expert. Anne Youngman, the Bat Conservation Trust's Scottish officer, said wet weather may have hit the breeding season for a second year running. ...On the agenda is a presentation on wind farms in mountain areas of Portugal. Ms Youngman said: "Wind farms were a hot topic at the last symposium. "In Germany, there are turbines above forests and the mortality rate of bats has been found to be high.

PLANS to build a wind turbine in the grounds of a school could be blown away by a colony of bats. ...In response to Mr Swain's comments at the meeting, a council officer said if there were any bats in the area, government environment department DEFRA could make an objection to the application.