Wind Energy and Wildlife Interactions

Abstract

This book presents a selection of new insights in understanding and mitigating impacts on wildlife and their habitats. Topics such as, species behaviour and responses; collision risk and fatality estimation; landscape features and gradients, are considered. Other chapters in the book cover the results of current research on mitigation; compensation; effectiveness of measures; monitoring and long-term effects; planning and siting. Examples are given of current research on shutdown on demand and curtailment algorithms. By identifying what we have learned so far, and which predominate uncertainties and gaps remain for future research, this book contributes to the most up to date knowledge on research and management options. This book includes presentations from the Conference on Wind Energy and Wildlife impacts (CWW15), March 2015, hosted by the Berlin Institute of Technology, which offered a platform to national and international participants to showcase the current state of knowledge in wind energy’s wildlife implications.

Table of Contents

  1. Red Kites and Wind Farms—Telemetry Data from the Core Breeding Range
  2. Unforeseen Responses of a Breeding Seabird to the Construction of an Offshore Wind Farm
  3. A Large-Scale, Multispecies Assessment of Avian Mortality Rates at Land-Based Wind Turbines in Northern Germany
  4. A Method to Assess the Population-Level Consequences of Wind Energy Facilities on Bird and Bat Species
  5. Bat Activity at Nacelle Height Over Forest
  6. Bird Mortality in Two Dutch Wind Farms: Effects of Location, Spatial Design and Interactions with Powerlines
  7. Radar Assisted Shutdown on Demand Ensures Zero Soaring Bird Mortality at a Wind Farm Located in a Migratory Flyway
  8. Mitigating Bat Mortality with Turbine-Specific Curtailment Algorithms: A Model Based Approach
  9. Is There a State-of-the-Art to Reduce Pile-Driving Noise?
  10. The Challenges of Addressing Wildlife Impacts When Repowering Wind Energy Projects
  11. Wind Farms in Areas of High Ornithological Value—Conflicts, Solutions, Challenges: The Case of Thrace, Greece
  12. Introducing a New Avian Sensitivity Mapping Tool to Support the Siting of Wind Farms and Power Lines in the Middle East and Northeast Africa
  13. A Framework for Assessing Ecological and Cumulative Effects (FAECE) of Offshore Wind Farms on Birds, Bats and Marine Mammals in the Southern North Sea
  14. Wind Turbines and Birds in Germany—Examples of Current Knowledge, New Insights and Remaining Gaps
  15. Future Research Directions to Reconcile Wind Turbine–Wildlife Interactions
  16. Sharing Information on Environmental Effects of Wind Energy Development: WREN Hub