Supporting renewable energy development in biodiversity-sensitive landscapes across Latin America
Overview
Renewable energy development has expanded across Latin America, with wind, solar, hydropower, geothermal and associated transmission infrastructure increasingly located in biodiversity-sensitive landscapes. Home to around 40% of global biodiversity, Latin America is a particularly important region for integrating biodiversity considerations into renewable energy development. These projects often require alignment with international lender standards, national regulations and good international industry practice (GIIP), creating a need for robust biodiversity assessment, management and monitoring across the project lifecycle.
Purpose of the projects
The Biodiversity Consultancy (TBC) has supported renewable energy projects across seven Latin American countries, helping developers, investors and lenders identify and manage biodiversity risks while meeting requirements such as IFC Performance Standard 6 (IFC PS6). Our support spans the project lifecycle, from early-stage biodiversity screening and Critical Habitat Assessment to biodiversity management planning, monitoring, offsets and corporate biodiversity strategy.
The challenge – managing biodiversity risks while accelerating renewable energy development across Latin America
Clients needed to manage impacts on Natural and Critical Habitat, address uncertainty in biodiversity data, satisfy lender/regulatory requirements and stakeholder expectations, and develop credible pathways towards No Net Loss or Net Gain.
Several developments were located within or near designated areas or in sensitive habitats or river basins. Others affected secondary tropical forest, presented bird collision risks or recorded bat fatalities. Challenges also included previous studies that did not meet lender expectations, fragmented land tenure affecting offset feasibility, limited baseline information and monitoring across large, remote areas.
Project highlights
In Patagonia, Chile…
TBC developed a radar-led bird and bat monitoring strategy for a large wind development, combining radar, observer and acoustic surveys to inform collision risk assessment, turbine siting and mitigation planning.
In the Dominican Republic…
TBC provided integrated IFC PS6 support for a solar development, spanning biodiversity baseline assessment, Critical Habitat Assessment, impact assessment, mitigation planning and Biodiversity Action Planning.
In Costa Rica…
TBC supported the development of a No Net Loss strategy for a hydropower project, including measures to maintain migratory fish connectivity and protect aquatic biodiversity.
Our approach – supporting biodiversity risk management across the renewable energy project lifecycle
Across Latin America, TBC has supported renewable energy projects throughout the project lifecycle, from early biodiversity risk screening and Critical Habitat Assessment (CHA) through to Biodiversity Action Plans (BAP), biodiversity offsets, monitoring programmes and portfolio-level strategy. Our approach helps clients identify and manage biodiversity risks, meet lender requirements and develop credible pathways towards No Net Loss and Net Gain outcomes. This support spans six key areas:
1. Biodiversity risk screening and Critical Habitat Assessment
For a large wind development in Chile, TBC completed an IFC PS6 gap analysis covering baseline data, impact assessment, mitigation and monitoring, with recommendations to strengthen lender alignment. In Peru, TBC screened an early-stage hydropower development with limited baseline information, identifying potential Critical Habitat triggers and further assessment priorities.
For two adjacent solar developments in Colombia, totalling almost 60 MW, TBC conducted a CHA supported by field surveys. Although no Critical Habitat was identified, impacts to degraded natural forest and species of stakeholder concern required a No Net Loss strategy and biodiversity management framework.
For a 136.5 MW solar project within a protected landscape in Brazil’s Caatinga biome, TBC assessed potential Critical Habitat-qualifying features using biodiversity datasets, baseline information and studies from an adjacent wind development. The assessment concluded that Critical Habitat presence was unlikely but identified Natural Habitat requiring mitigation, providing greater certainty for project planning and lender alignment.
2. Biodiversity baseline studies and impact assessment
For a 55 MW solar development in the Dominican Republic, TBC delivered a Biodiversity Baseline Assessment, CHA, Biodiversity Impact Assessment, Biodiversity Mitigation Strategy and BAP. Working with local specialists, TBC designed and oversaw surveys for habitats, flora, fish, mammals, birds and herpetofauna, which informed the impact assessment and a No Net Loss strategy.
For a 20 MW run-of-river hydropower project in Colombia, TBC replaced a previous CHA that did not meet lender requirements. TBC then scoped and coordinated targeted biodiversity surveys and completed a quantitative residual impact assessment, establishing the evidence base for biodiversity management, offset design and lender decision-making.
3. Biodiversity Action Plans, mitigation strategies and implementation frameworks
For the Colombian hydropower project, TBC developed a BAP defining mitigation requirements using habitat- and condition-based metrics. TBC also designed a Biodiversity Monitoring and Evaluation Programme using a pressure-state-response framework and adaptive management thresholds. Training and capacity building supported implementation of these plans, strengthening lender confidence in the biodiversity programme.
For a wind development in Brazil, TBC developed a BAP covering priority biodiversity values, mitigation, residual impact assessment, biodiversity offsets and monitoring and evaluation to support alignment with IFC PS6.
TBC prepared a Biodiversity Management Plan for a transmission line in Peru, addressing habitat protection and restoration, wildlife protection, monitoring and responsibilities. For a separate transmission line, TBC developed a Post-construction Bird Fatality Monitoring Programme covering carcass searches, fatality estimation, reporting and adaptive management.
4. No Net Loss, Net Gain and biodiversity offsets
For the 55 MW solar development in the Dominican Republic, TBC developed a No Net Loss strategy combining design modifications, habitat restoration, monitoring and additional conservation actions. An on-site set-aside beside remnant rainforest was designed to promote regeneration and ecological connectivity. A planted buffer protected the restored core area from edge effects and invasive species. The approach also incorporated threatened canopy species, community engagement and off-site conservation actions.
For the same Colombian hydropower project described above, TBC assessed offset opportunities across the river basin against ecological and socio-economic criteria. Despite challenging land tenure and site conditions, TBC identified a feasible portfolio of offset sites and developed a Biodiversity Offset Management and Implementation Plan, establishing a pathway towards Net Gain for Critical Habitat and No Net Loss for Natural Habitat while demonstrating the feasibility of meeting lender requirements within a complex river basin landscape.
TBC assessed impacts on priority species for a 360 MW wind development in Brazil and completed an offset feasibility study to demonstrate potential for Net Gain. Working with government agencies and other stakeholders, TBC identified suitable areas and conservation measures, then developed a framework BAP to guide implementation.
In Costa Rica, TBC supported a hydropower development affecting terrestrial Critical Habitat and aquatic Natural Habitat. For unavoidable river impacts, TBC developed loss-gain metrics and an offset based on averting future impacts to an ecologically equivalent river. This became one of the earliest examples of a direct offset for hydropower and demonstrated that No Net Loss of aquatic Natural Habitat could be feasible.
For two operational wind farms in the Dominican Republic, TBC developed a Biodiversity Offset Management and Implementation Plan addressing residual impacts on priority bat species. TBC evaluated offset options, reviewed stakeholder input, assessed feasibility and designed an approach incorporating conservation actions, monitoring and adaptive management.
5. Monitoring, adaptive management and innovation
For a major wind development in Chilean Patagonia, conventional surveys alone were insufficient due to the project’s scale, difficult access, harsh conditions and the need to understand nocturnal bird movements. TBC designed a monitoring strategy combining fixed and mobile radar with observer and acoustic surveys to assess flight corridors and collision risks, informing turbine siting, mitigation and adaptive management.
For another operational wind farm in the Dominican Republic, TBC estimated bat fatalities and compared the likely effectiveness and cost of acoustic deterrents and curtailment, enabling the client to select mitigation measures against its fatality-reduction target.
For the two Dominican Republic wind farms discussed above, TBC subsequently updated the project’s Adaptive Management Plan using findings from a national acoustic bat inventory. The update refined assessments of priority bat and bird species and reviewed fatality thresholds so that management actions reflected the latest available evidence.
6. Portfolio-level biodiversity strategy
For a major developer operating across Latin America, TBC supported a corporate biodiversity strategy covering operational assets and future expansion. The work included a review of national regulations and international standards, a gap analysis of existing procedures, and a portfolio-wide assessment of biodiversity risks, impacts and dependencies across wind, solar and battery storage assets.
TBC identified actions to strengthen governance and management and developed a roadmap for alignment with the Science Based Targets Network (SBTN). The strategy provided a consistent framework for integrating biodiversity into investment, development and operational decisions across countries and technologies.
The outcome – enabling better biodiversity outcomes across renewable energy projects
Through this work, TBC helped clients strengthen biodiversity governance, identify pathways towards No Net Loss and Net Gain, and advance renewable energy developments in biodiversity-sensitive landscapes with greater confidence and alignment with lender and regulatory requirements.
The work ranged from habitat assessments to river offsets, bat conservation programmes, radar-led monitoring and portfolio-level strategy development. Together, these projects helped developers, investors and lenders navigate biodiversity challenges while supporting responsible renewable energy development across Latin America.
