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Collision

Birds flying past a wind turbine farm
Direct contact between an animal and a device component.

Any part of a renewable energy device that moves has the potential to have a deleterious effect on both resident and migratory organisms. Collisions between animals and tidal or wind turbine blades could result in injury or death, either by direct contact with the device or by pressure changes created around the moving parts. The probability of a collision with a blade may vary based on the rotational or mechanical speed of the moving parts, the presence and density of animals in the area, the time of day, weather conditions, and the ability of animals to sense and evade the device. Carcasses found around land-based wind turbines provide an estimate of bird and bat fatalities, while it is much more difficult to estimate the effect of collisions with offshore wind turbines. To date there have been no observed collisions of marine mammals or diving seabirds with tidal turbines. Wave energy devices also have moving parts such as heave plates, flaps, and other large heavy components that could potentially cause harm, although the likelihood is thought to be extremely small. Collisions resulting in injury and death of individual animals with moving parts of devices become particularly important if the loss of those individuals affect the stability and sustainability of the population in the area.

For more information relevant to marine energy, check out the Collision Risk Short Science Summary produced by OES-Environmental.

For more information relevant to offshore wind energy, check out the Bat and Bird Interactions with Offshore Wind Energy research brief produced by SEER.

Marine and Wind Energy Environmental Documents

Tethys is a knowledge hub that contains documents on the environmental effects of wind and marine energy. The table below contains all of the documents in the Tethys Knowledge Base associated with Collision.

Total: 1731

Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
Impact of wind power plants on mammalian and avian wildlife species in shrub- and woodlands Schöll, E., Nopp-Mayr, U. Journal Article Collision, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Terrestrial Mammals
An Evaluation of the Potential Impact of Extracting Marine Renewable Energy in the Coastal Environment of the Black Sea Zburlea, L., Rusu, E. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment
Predicting Bald Eagle Collision at Wind Energy Facilities Nasman, K., Bay, K., Mattson, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds, Raptors
Supporting National Environmental Policy Act Documentation for Offshore Wind Energy Development Related to Avian Species Research Fernandez, K., Middleton, P., Salerno, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Collision, Habitat Change Birds
A predictive model for improving placement of wind turbines to minimise collision risk potential for a large soaring raptor Murgatroyd, M., Bouten, W., Amar, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds, Raptors
Moray West Pre-Construction Digital Aerial Survey Method Statement Moray Offshore Windfarm (West) Limited Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Displacement Birds, Seabirds
Assessing the vulnerability of breeding bird populations to onshore wind-energy developments in Finland Balotari-Chiebao, F., Valkama, J., Byholm, P. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds, Ground-Nesting Birds
AWWI Technical Report: Performance of the GenEst Mortality Estimator Compared to the Huso and Shoenfeld Estimators Rabie, P., Riser-Espinoza, D., Studyvin, J. Report Wind Energy Collision Bats, Birds
Vineyard Wind 1 Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
U.S. Geological Survey Migratory Bird Science, 2020–21 Pearse, A., Sherfy, M., Wimer, M. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Ground-Nesting Birds, Passerines, Raptors, Physical Environment
Novel Application and Validation of a Method to Assess Visual Impacts of Rotating Wind Turbine Blades Within Woodland Areas Nopp-Mayr, U., Kunz, F., Suppan, F. Journal Article Wind Energy Avoidance, Collision Bats, Birds, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Visual Impacts
Eagle fatalities are reduced by automated curtailment of wind turbines McClure, C., Rolek, B., Dunn, L. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds, Raptors
Monitoring of geese in the territory of Integrated System for Protection of Birds, Winter 2020-2021 Zehtindjiev, P., Whitfield, D. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Displacement Birds, Waterfowl
Proceedings from the State of the Science and Technology for Minimizing Impacts to Bats from Wind Energy Hein, C., Straw, B. Workshop Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Collision Bats
Application of a multibeam echosounder to document changes in animal movement and behaviour around a tidal turbine structure Williamson, B., Blondel, P., Williamson, L. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Attraction, Collision, Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Marine Mammals
A Runway Safety System Based on Vertically Oriented Stereovision Gradolewski, D., Dziak, D., Kaniecki, D. Journal Article Wind Energy Collision, Habitat Change Birds
A Biomimetic Ultrasonic Whistle for Use as a Bat Deterrent on Wind Turbines Sievert, P., Modarres-Sadeghi, Y., Smotherman, M. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Peaks in bat activity at turbines and the implications for mitigating the impact of wind energy developments on bats Richardson, S., Lintott, P., Hosken, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision Bats
Estimation of spatiotemporal trends in bat abundance from mortality data collected at wind turbines Davy, C., Squires, K., Zimmerling, J. Journal Article Wind Energy Collision Bats
Calculation of biodiversity level between different land-uses to improve conservation outcomes of biodiversity offsetting Millon, L., Barre, K., Julliard, R. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Northern gannets (Morus bassanus) are strongly affected by operating offshore wind farms during the breeding season Peschko, V., Mendel, B., Mercker, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Avoidance, Collision Birds, Seabirds
Bats Flying at High Altitudes McCracken, G., Lee, Y., Gillam, E. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Final Technical Report: A Heterogeneous System for Eagle Detection, Deterrent, and Wildlife Collision Detection for Wind Turbines Albertani, R., Clocker, K., Hu, C. Report Wind Energy Collision Birds, Raptors
Black kites of different age and sex show similar avoidance responses to wind turbines during migration Santos, C., Ferraz, R., Muñoz, A. Journal Article Wind Energy Collision, Habitat Change Birds, Raptors
Collision risk modelling for tidal energy devices: A flexible simulation-based approach Horne, N., Culloch, R., Schmitt, P. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Collision Marine Mammals, Pinnipeds
Integrated Offshore Seismic Survey Using an Unmanned Wave Glider Cheong, S., Kim, Y-J., Chung, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Marine Mammals
Comprehensive Bird Preservation at Wind Farms Gradolwski, D., Dziak, D., Martynow, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds
X-shaped Radical Offshore Wind Turbine for Overall Cost of Energy Reduction (X-ROTOR) Jessopp, M., Clairbaux, M. Research Study Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Collision, Displacement, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment, Life Cycle Assessment
Bluetooth Based Bird Detection System Muppireddy, S. Thesis Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds
Assessing movements of birds using digitally-coded VHF transmitters: A validation study Paton, P., Cooper-Mullin, C., Kouhi, S. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Displacement Birds
Passive Ultrasonic Deterrents to Reduce Bat Mortality in Wind Farms Sharma, A. Presentation Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Collision Bats
Recent increase in knowledge about numbers and flight behaviour in the White-throated Needletail 'Hirundapus caudacutus' Tarburton, M. Journal Article Wind Energy Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds
Pink-footed Goose and Common Crane exhibit high levels of collision avoidance at a Danish onshore wind farm Drachmann, J., Waagner, S., Nielson, H. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision Birds, Ground-Nesting Birds
Using Trajectories through a Tidal Energy Development Site in the Bay of Fundy to Study Interaction of Renewable Energy with Local Fish Sanderson, B., Stokesbury, M., Redden, A. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Collision Fish, Pelagic Fish
An investigation into the potential for wind turbines to cause barotrauma in bats Lawson, M., Jenne, D., Thresher, R. Journal Article Wind Energy Collision Bats
Sensor System and Signal Processing for Automated Blade Collision Detection on Wind Turbines Clocker, K., Hu, C., Albertani, R. Conference Paper Wind Energy Collision
Mesoscale Modeling to Characterize Eagle Soaring Habitat Draxl, C., Lawson, M., Farmer, C. Presentation Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds, Raptors
Ocean energy and the environment: Research and strategic actions ETIP Ocean Report Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Physical Environment, Fish, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy, Marine Spatial Planning
Estimating bat fatality at a Texas wind energy facility: implications transcending the United States–Mexico border Weaver, S., Jones, A., Hein, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Ultrasonic acoustic deterrents significantly reduce bat fatalities at wind turbines Weaver, S., Hein, C., Simpson, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats

Displaying 641 - 680 of 1731 results