Vattenfall needs to make use of cameras to enhance fowl casualty counts from offshore wind farms. Currently, theoretical fashions estimate the variety of casualties, however there are few precise observations to help these fashions. The analysis is taking place on the Hollandse Kust Zuid wind farm.
During the spring and fall migrations, many thousands and thousands of birds migrate throughout the North Sea yearly. Mortality estimates are troublesome to confirm as a result of carcasses fall into the ocean and drift away. Cameras can assist preserve higher observe of fowl casualties. The know-how has beforehand been used at land-based wind farms, however that is the primary time the cameras have been deployed at sea.
Black-painted wind turbine blades assist forestall fowl mortality
Every 12 months, roughly 50,000 birds die within the Netherlands as a result of they fly right into a wind turbine. This should and could be finished otherwise.
Jesper Kyed Larsen, bioscience knowledgeable at Vattenfall: “Wind industry and conservationists both benefit from understanding how turbines affect bird populations. With this trial, we are testing promising camera and AI technology to improve counting: how many are there and under what conditions does it happen? In the longer term, a better understanding of risk will provide realistic predictions for new wind farms to be built and help refine procedures that ensure turbines can be shut down at the right times.”
16 infrared cameras
For this analysis, one of many generators of the wind farm Hollandse Kust Zuid will probably be outfitted with 16 infrared cameras masking all corners of the turbine. The cameras work 24/7 and use AI and particular software program to detect falling objects and choose the related photographs. The cameras additionally work at night time and in dangerous climate, comparable to rain or fog. They can spot small birds as much as a distance of about 120 meters. For giant birds, the digicam’s vary is as much as 300 meters. The digicam and AI answer are offered by Wildlife Imaging Systems; Circle Consult Aps will set up them.
The examine will begin in August and final a 12 months. It focuses on the autumn and spring migration durations and is being performed in cooperation with Wageningen Environmental Research, a part of Wageningen University & Research (WUR).
High and low
Every 12 months, giant numbers of land birds migrate alongside or throughout the North Sea, both from breeding areas to wintering areas or again. On effective days, songbirds and waders fly lots of of meters excessive, however in dangerous climate, they keep nearer to the floor and, subsequently, come inside vary of the turbine blades. The examine helps to raised perceive fowl casualties and the circumstances underneath which collisions happen.
