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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: 1656

Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
The impact of wind energy facilities on grouse: a systematic review Coppes, J., Braunisch, V., Bollmann, K. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Collision, Displacement Birds, Ground-Nesting Birds
Wildlife and Wind Farms - Conflicts and Solutions, Volume 4. Offshore: Monitoring and Mitigation Perrow, M. Book Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Collision, Noise Bats, Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Marine Spatial Planning
Monitoring of spring bird migration in the Integrated System for Protection of Birds Zehtindjiev, P., Whitfield, D. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Displacement Birds
Wind turbines in high quality habitat cause disproportionate increases in collision mortality of the white-tailed eagle Heuck, C., Herrmann, C., Levers, C. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Raptors, Birds
Development of the information system for forecasting collision between birds and wind farms Osadchyi, V., Siokhin, V., Gorlov, P. Journal Article Wind Energy Collision Birds, Ground-Nesting Birds, Passerines
Red bat fatality: Geographic extents through deuterium and niche models Murtaugh, R., Capparella, A., Kostelnick, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
A Methodology to Assess the National and Regional Impacts of U.S. Wind Energy Development on Birds and Bats Diffendorfer, J., Beston, J., Merrill, M. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Harnessing the Wind: How to Advance Wind Power Offshore Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Displacement, Noise
Over or under? Autonomous sensor fish reveals why overshot weirs may be safer than undershot weirs for fish passage Pflugrath, B., Boys, C., Cathers, B. Journal Article Riverine, Marine Energy Collision Fish
The consequences of seabird habitat loss from offshore wind turbines, version 2 van Kooten, T., Soudijn, F., Tulp, I. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds
STREEM: Sensor Testing Research for Environmental Effects Monitoring Sanderson, B., Adams, M., Redden, A. Report Marine Energy, Tidal Collision Fish
Effects of turbine collision mortality on population dynamics of 13 bird species Potiek, A., Collier, M., Schekkerman, H. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision Birds, Seabirds
PHAROS4MPAs: A Review of Solutions to Avoid and Mitigate Environmental Impacts of Offshore Windfarms Defingou, M., Bils, F., Horchler, B. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Lighting, Noise Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Marine Spatial Planning
Imaging sonar review for marine environmental monitoring around tidal turbines Joslin, J. Report Marine Energy, Tidal Collision Fish, Marine Mammals
Better utilisation and transparency of bird data collected by TSOs Kettel, E., Thaxter, C., Oppel, S. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds
Agent-Based Modelling of fish collisions with tidal turbines Rossington, K., Benson, T. Presentation Marine Energy, Tidal Avoidance, Collision Fish
Minimizing Bird Collisions with Wind Turbines: Proceedings of the KNE Conference on May 15-16, 2019 in Kassel Bruns, E., Aschwanden, J., Musiol, F. Conference Paper Wind Energy Collision Birds
Minimizing wildlife impacts for offshore wind energy development: Winning tradeoffs for seabirds in space and cetaceans in time Best, B., Halpin, P. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
SEA Wave D2.1 Knowledge Gaps and Consenting Risks for Wave & Tidal Energy Fox, J. Report Marine Energy, Wave Collision, Displacement, Noise Human Dimensions, Navigation, Social & Economic Data
Safeguarding Marine Protected Areas in the Growing Mediterranean Blue Economy: Recommendations for the Offshore Wind Energy Sector WWF France Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, EMF, Lighting, Noise Birds, Marine Mammals, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions, Fisheries, Marine Spatial Planning
Landscape Factors Affecting Foraging Flight Altitudes of Great Blue Heron in Maine; Relevance to Wind Energy Development Dolinski, L. Thesis Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds, Shorebirds
Synthesizing expert opinion to assess the at-sea risks to seabirds in the western North Atlantic Lieske, D., Tranquilla, L., Ronconi, R. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision Birds, Seabirds, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
SEA Wave D2.2 Critical analysis of environmental mitigation and monitoring strategies Fox, J. Report Marine Energy, Wave Changes in Flow, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Lighting, Noise Human Dimensions, Stakeholder Engagement
Monitoring of geese in the territory of Integrated System for Protection of Birds, Winter 2018-2019 Zehtindjiev, P., Whitfield, D. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Displacement Birds, Waterfowl
Tracking Offshore Occurrence of Common Terns, Endangered Roseate Terns, and Threatened Piping Plovers with VHF Arrays Loring, P., Paton, P., McLaren, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Collision, Displacement Birds, Seabirds, Shorebirds
Marine Mammals and Tidal Energy: Annual Report to Scottish Government Palmer, L., Gillespie, D., Macaulay, J. Report Marine Energy, Tidal Collision Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds
Estimating the Potential Mortality of Griffon Vultures (Gyps fulvus) Due to Wind Energy Development on the Island of Crete (Greece) Xirouchakis, S., Armeni, E., Nikolopoulou, S. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds, Raptors
Assess risk of individual turbines to Golden Eagles Miller, T. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds, Raptors
Floating Offshore Wind Energy Technology: Innovation to Commercialization Northeastern University Conference Paper Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision Bats, Birds
Future Directions in Conservation Research on Petrels and Shearwaters Rodríguez, A., Arcos, J., Bretagnolle, V. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Displacement, Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Seabirds, Birds
2018 Post - Construction Monitoring Study Black Oak Getty Wind Project Stearns County, Minnesota Pickle, J., Lombardi, J., Stucker, J. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Monitoring getijdenturbines Oosterscheldekering (Oosterscheldekering Tidal Turbines Monitoring Annual Report 2018) Leopold, M., Scholl, M. Report Marine Energy, Tidal Changes in Flow, Collision Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds
2018 Post-Construction Monitoring Study Red Pine Wind Energy Facility Lincoln County, Minnesota Trana, M., Hyzy, B., Pickle, J. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Review of Raptor Sections of the Bluestone Wind Avian Risk Assessment Miller, T. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds, Raptors, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Review of the migratory movements of Shelduck to inform understanding of potential interactions with the offshore wind farms in the southern North Sea Green, R., Burton, N, Cook, A. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds, Waterfowl
Resource selection and wintering phenology of White-winged Scoters in southern New England: Implications for offshore wind energy development Meattey, D., McWilliams, S., Paton, P. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision Birds, Seabirds
Effects of the Eastern Scheldt Storm Surge Barrier and tidal energy turbines on harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) and harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) movements Kastelein, R., Jennings, N. Report Marine Energy, Tidal Collision, Displacement Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds
Effectiveness of a mitigation measure for the lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni) in wind farms in Spain Pescador, M., Ramírez, J., Peris, S. Journal Article Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement Birds
New Creek Wind Project 2018 Post-construction Monitoring Stantec Consulting Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Testing efficacy of bird deterrents at wind turbine facilities: a pilot study in Nova Scotia, Canada Dorey, K., Dicky, S., Walker, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds

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