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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
Optimising multiple multibeam sonars to assess marine life interactions with an underwater kite Lieber, L., Nilsen, T., Zambrano, C. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Ocean Current Collision Marine Mammals, Pinnipeds
Understanding the Potential Risk to Marine Mammals from Collision with Tidal Turbines Copping, A., Grear, M., Jepsen, R. Journal Article Tidal, Marine Energy Collision Marine Mammals
The intertidal wetlands of southern Jiangsu Province, China – globally important for Spoon-billed Sandpipers and other threatened waterbirds, but facing multiple serious threats Peng, H., Anderson, G., Chang, Q. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Displacement Birds, Shorebirds
Turbine Induced Bird and Bat Fatalities at Wind Projects: Statistical Methods for Mortality Estimation Using Road and Pad Carcass Surveys Maurer, J. Thesis Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds, Bats
Tidal Turbine-Fish Interaction Pilot Study in the Aquatron Controlled Lab Space MacNeill, A., Mahon-Hodgins, L., Eddington, J. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Tidal Attraction, Avoidance, Collision Fish
Hydroacoustic Assessment of Behavioral Responses by Fish Passing Near an Operating Tidal Turbine in the East River, New York Bevelhimer, M., Scherelis, C., Colby, J. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Avoidance, Collision Fish
Bird Impact Analysis of a Composite Wind Turbine Blade Tejas, K., Prashanth, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds
Seabird Ecology in High-Energy Environments: Approaches to Assessing Impacts of Marine Renewables Robbins, A. Thesis Marine Energy Collision Seabirds, Birds
Performance test and verification of an off-the-shelf automated avian radar tracking system May, R., Steinheim, Y., Kvaløy, P. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Do Terrestrial Animals Avoid Areas Close to Turbines in Functioning Wind Farms in Agricultural Landscapes? Łopucki, R., Klich, D., Gielarek, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement Birds, Ground-Nesting Birds, Terrestrial Mammals
Relationship between the Intensity of Nocturnal Migration Measured by Radar and the Anthropogenic Mortality of Birds Michev, B., Zehtindjiev, P., Marinov, M. Journal Article Wind Energy Collision Birds
Impact assessment of marine current turbines on fish behavior using an experimental approach based on the similarity law Zhang, J., Kitazawa, D., Taya, S. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Collision Fish
Bat fatalities at wind farms in Taiwan Chou, C., Hsieh, T., Liu, W. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Operational Noise from Tidal Turbine Arrays and the Assessment of Collision Risk with Marine Mammals Marmo, B. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Collision, Noise Marine Mammals
A Snapshot of Risk for Environmental Effects of Marine Renewable Energy Development Copping, A., Kramer, S. Conference Paper Marine Energy Changes in Flow, Collision, EMF, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise
Proceedings of the Wind-Wildlife Research Meeting XI Schwartz, S. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision
Good noise, bad noise: A tricky case of balancing risk of physical injury against acoustic disturbance for marine mammals and tidal energy devices Wilson, B., Marmo, B., Lepper, P. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Collision, Noise Marine Mammals
Fatalities at Wind Turbines may Threaten Population Viability of a Migratory Bat Frick, W., Baerwald, E., Pollock, J. Journal Article Wind Energy Collision Bats
Wildlife and Wind Farms - Conflicts and Solutions, Volume 2. Onshore: Monitoring and Mitigation Perrow, M. Book Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Wildlife and Wind Farms - Conflicts and Solutions, Volume 1. Onshore: Potential Effects Perrow, M. Book Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change, Noise Bats, Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Physical Environment, Invertebrates, Reptiles, Terrestrial Mammals
Review and analysis of tracking data to delineate flight characteristics and migration routes of birds over the Southern North Sea Gyimesi, A., Evans, T., Linnebjerg, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Collision Birds, Passerines, Seabirds, Shorebirds, Waterfowl
Collisions of Birds of Prey with Wind Turbines - Analysis of the Circumstances Rasran, L., Durr, T. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Raptors, Birds
Effects of Individuals Lost Due to Wind Turbines on the Time of Occupying a Territory, the Survival of Breeding Territories and the Breeding Success of White-Tailed Sea Eagles (Case Studies) Grunkorn, T., Nehls, G. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Displacement, Collision Raptors, Birds
Telemetric Monitoring of Montagu's Harrier in Schleswig-Holstein Grajetzky, B., Nehls, G. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Displacement, Collision Raptors, Birds
Collision Victims and Lattice Towers - Frequency of Collision, Breeding Population and Breeding Success of Birds of Prey in Two Wind Farms in Brandenburg Durr, T., Rasran, L. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Raptors, Birds
Distances Between Breeding Sites and White-Tailed Sea Eagles Found Dead Near Wind Turbines in Schleswig-Holstein Grunkorn, T., Nehls, G. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Raptors, Birds
Satellite Tracking of White-Tailed Sea Eagles in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Brandenburg Krone, O., Treu, G., Grunkorn, T. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Raptors, Birds
Calculation of the Probability of a Collision of Territorial Birds of Prey with Wind Turbines Rasran, L., Grajetzky, B., Mammen, U. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Avoidance Raptors, Birds
Golden Eagle Fatalities and the Continental-Scale Consequences of Local Wind-Energy Generation Katzner, T., Nelson, D., Braham, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Raptors, Birds
Nocturnal migrants do not incur higher collision risk at wind turbines than diurnally active species Welcker, J., Liesenjohann, M., Blew, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds
Report of the IWG on Wind Turbines and Bat Populations 2017 Rodrigues, L. Report Wind Energy Collision, Habitat Change Bats
Review of Methods and Techniques for Field Validation of Collision Rates and Avoidance Amongst Birds and Bats at Offshore Wind Turbines Dirksen, S. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Quantifying the Demographic Cost of Human-Related Mortality to a Raptor Population Hunt, W., Wiens, J., Law, P. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Raptors, Birds
Impact of wind turbines on bat activity: an ommited long-distance concern Barre, K., Julliard, R., Le Viol, I. Presentation Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Collision Bats
A balanced solution to the cumulative threat of industrialized wind farm development on cinereous vultures (Aegypius monachus) in south-eastern Europe Vasilakis, D., Whitfield, D., Kati, V. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds, Raptors
Red Kites and Wind Farms - Telemetry Data from the Core Breeding Range Hötker, H., Mammen, K., Mammen, U. Book Chapter Wind Energy Collision Passerines, Birds
The Challenges of Addressing Wildlife Impacts When Repowering Wind Energy Projects Smallwood, K. Book Chapter Wind Energy Displacement, Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Birds
Radar Assisted Shutdown on Demand Ensures Zero Soaring Bird Mortality at a Wind Farm Located in a Migratory Flyway Tomé, R., Canário, F., Leitão, A. Book Chapter Wind Energy Collision Birds
A Large-Scale, Multispecies Assessment of Avian Mortality Rates at Land-Based Wind Turbines in Northern Germany Grunkorn, T., Blew, J., Kruger, O. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds
Wind Farms in Areas of High Ornithological Value - Conflicts, Solutions, Challenges: The Case of Thrace, Greece Kafetzis, A., Kret, E., Skartsi, D. Book Chapter Wind Energy Collision Raptors, Birds

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