Skip to main content

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: 1695

Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
Field validation of radar systems for monitoring bird migration Nilsson, C., Dokter, A., Schmid, B. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Collision, Displacement Bats, Birds
Inventory and assessment of models and methods used for describing quantifying and assessing cumulative effects of offshore wind farms van Oostveen, M., Sierdsma, F., Kwakkel, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Seabirds, Marine Mammals, Pinnipeds
Inconspicuous echolocation in hoary bats (Lasiurus cinereus) Corcoran, A., Weller, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Opportunistically collected data reveal habitat selection by migrating Whooping Cranes in the US Northern Plains Niemuth, N., Ryba, A., Pearse, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds
Comparison of damage to live v. euthanized Atlantic salmon Salmo salar smolts from passage through an Archimedean screw turbine Brackley, R., Lucas, M., Thomas, R. Journal Article Riverine, Marine Energy Collision Pelagic Fish, Fish
MegaRoller Apolonia, M., Simas, T. Research Study Marine Energy, Wave Changes in Flow, Chemicals, Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals
Predicting Migratory Corridors of White Storks, Ciconia ciconia, to Enhance Sustainable Wind Energy Planning: A Data-Driven Agent-Based Model Oloo, F., Safi, K., Aryal, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds
Risk of whale encounters with offshore renewable energy mooring lines and electrical cables Copping, A., Grear, M., Sanders, G. Presentation Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Floating Offshore Wind Collision, Entanglement Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Finite Element Analysis to Assess Fish Mortality from Interaction with Tidal Turbine Blades Fyffe, N. Report Marine Energy, Tidal Collision Fish
Evaluating a Novel Approach to Optimize Operational Minimization to Reduce Bat Fatalities at the Pinnacle Wind Farm, Mineral County, West Virginia, 2015 Schirmacher, M., Prichard, A., Mabee, T. Report Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Collision Bats
ORJIP Bird Collision and Avoidance Study Skov, H., Heinänen, S., Norman, T. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Avoidance, Collision Birds, Seabirds
Wind Turbine Sensor Array for Monitoring Avian and Bat Collisions Hu, C., Albertani, R., Suryan, R. Journal Article Wind Energy Collision Birds, Bats
Ecological Impact of Airborne Wind Energy Technology: Current State of Knowledge and Future Research Agenda Bruinzeel, L., Klop, E., Brenninkmeijer, A. Book Chapter Wind Energy Collision Birds
Bird Collisions at Wind Turbines in a Mountainous Area Related to Bird Movement Intensities Measured by Radar Aschwanden, J., Stark, H., Peter, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Passerines, Birds
Mitigating the negative impacts of tall wind turbines on bats: Vertical activity profiles and relationships to wind speed Wellig, S., Nussle, S., Miltner, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Raptor Interactions with Wind Energy: Case Studies from Around the World Watson, R., Kolar, P., Ferrer, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds, Raptors
Tier 4 Post-Construction Mortality Monitoring Study for the Odell Wind Energy Project Cottonwood and Jackson Counties, Minnesota: Final Fatality Report December 2016 – December 2017 Chodachek, K., Gustafson, Z. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Wozep Ecological Programme: Tussenstand Wozep 2018 WOZEP Presentation Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Passerines, Seabirds, Waterfowl, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds
Predicting the impacts of wind farms on seabirds: An individual-based model Warwick-Evans, V., Atkinson, P., Walkington, I. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Avoidance Seabirds, Birds
Shetland Tidal Array Extension - Environmental Assessment Report McPherson, G. Report Marine Energy, Tidal Collision, Displacement, Noise Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Marine Mammals
Combining radar and direct observation to estimate pelican collision risk at a proposed wind farm on the Cape west coast, South Africa Jenkins, A., Reid, T., du Plessis, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Displacement, Collision, Avoidance Waterfowl, Birds
Impacts of onshore wind energy production on birds and bats: recommendations for future life cycle impact assessment developments Laranjeiro, T., May, R., Verones, F. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats, Birds
Efficient unstructured mesh generation for marine renewable energy applications Avdis, A., Candy, A., Hill, J. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Collision
New Creek Wind Project 2017 Post-construction Monitoring Stantec Consulting Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Dodging the blades: new insights into three-dimensional space use of offshore wind farms by lesser black-backed gulls Larus fuscus Thaxter, C., Ross-Smith, V., Bouten, W. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Avoidance, Collision Birds, Seabirds
Dodging the blades: new insights into threedimensional space use of offshore wind farms by lesser black-backed gulls Larus fuscus Thaxter, C., Ross-Smith, V., Bouten, W. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Avoidance, Collision Birds
GenEst User Guide-Software for a Generalized Estimator of Mortality Simonis, J., Dalthorp, D., Huso, M. Report Wind Energy Collision Bats, Birds
Whooping Crane and Sandhill Crane Monitoring at Five Wind Energy Facilities Derby, C., Welsch, M., Thorn, T. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds, Shorebirds
Scale-dependent habitat selection by wintering geese: implications for landscape management Harrison, A., Petkov, N., Mitev, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Waterfowl, Birds
Tracking Migratory Bird Movements in the Gulf of Maine with Automated Telemetry and Stable Hydrogen Isotope Markers Smetzer, J. Thesis Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision Birds
Avian Monitoring and Mortality Report at the National Wind Technology Center: January 2010 - February 2011 Tetra Tech Inc. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement Birds
First in situ Passive Acoustic Monitoring for Marine Mammals during Operation of a Tidal Turbine in Ramsey Sound, Wales Malinka, C., Gillespie, D., Macaulay, J. Journal Article Tidal, Marine Energy Collision Marine Mammals
Marine Mammals and Tidal Energy: Report to Scottish Government Hastie, G., Evers, C., Gillespie, D. Report Marine Energy, Tidal Collision Marine Mammals, Pinnipeds
Characterization of Marine Mammal Biomechanics to Evaluate Tidal Turbine Collision Impact Grear, M. Thesis Marine Energy, Tidal Collision Marine Mammals
Biodiversity and Wind Farms in Portugal: Current Knowledge and Insights for an Integrated Impact Assessment Process Mascarenhas, M., Marques, A., Ramalho, R. Book Wind Energy Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Terrestrial Mammals
Mapping the global potential exposure of soaring birds to terrestrial wind energy expansion Santangeli, A., Butchart, S., Pogson, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds
Estimating flight heights of seabirds using optical rangefinders and GPS data loggers: a methodological comparison Borkenhagen, K., Corman, A., Garthe, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Avoidance, Collision, Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds
The energy landscape predicts flight height and wind turbine collision hazard in three species of large soaring raptor Peron, G., Fleming, C., Duriez, O. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Displacement, Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Raptors, Birds
Sensitivity of tidal lagoon and barrage hydrodynamic impacts and energy outputs to operational characteristics Angeloudis, A., Falconer, R. Journal Article Tidal, Marine Energy Collision Ecosystem Processes
A Tool for Simulating Collision Probabilities of Animals with Marine Renewable Energy Devices Schmitt, P., Culloch, R., Lieber, L. Journal Article Tidal, Marine Energy Collision

Displaying 881 - 920 of 1695 results