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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: 1637

Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
Using a Spatial Overlap Approach to Estimate the Risk of Collisions between Deep Diving Seabirds and Tidal Stream Turbines: A Review of Potential Methods and Approaches Waggitt, J., Scott, B. Journal Article Tidal, Marine Energy Collision Birds
Quantifying the Impact of Offshore Wind Farms on Gannet Populations: A Strategic Ringing Project Furness, R., Wanless, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision Birds
Assessing Risk to Birds from Industrial Wind Energy Development via Paired Resource Selection Models Miller, T., Brooks, R., Lanzone, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds
Bird–building collisions in the United States: Estimates of annual mortality and species vulnerability Loss, S., Will, T., Loss, S. Journal Article Collision Birds, Passerines, Human Dimensions
Assessment of Strike of Adult Killer Whales by an OpenHydro Tidal Turbine Blade Carlson, T., Grear, M., Copping, A. Report Marine Energy, Tidal Collision Marine Mammals
Power from the Brave New Ocean: Marine Renewable Energy and Ecological Risks Hammar, L. Thesis Marine Energy, Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision Fish, Demersal Fish
Evaluation of Survival and Behavior of Fish Exposed to an Axial-Flow Hydrokinetic Turbine Amaral, S., Giza, D., McMahon, B. Report Marine Energy Collision, Avoidance Pelagic Fish, Fish, Demersal Fish
Of birds, blades and barriers: Detecting and analysing mass migration events at alpha ventus Hill, R., Hill, K., Aumuller, R. Book Chapter Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision Birds
Wind Turbines and Migratory Birds: Avoiding a Collision Between the Energy Industry and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act Evans, R. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds, Human Dimensions, Legal & Policy
Study on the White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) Autumn Migration, Northeastern Bulgaria Gerdzhikov, G., Ilieva, M., Nikolov, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change Birds, Shorebirds
A Diving Bird Collision Risk Assessment Framework for Tidal Turbines Grant, M., Trinder, M., Harding, N. Report Marine Energy, Tidal Collision Birds
Effects of Wind Energy Development on Survival of Female Greater Prairie-Chickens Winder, V., NcNew, L., Gregory, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds
Hydrokinetic Turbine Effects on Fish Swimming Behaviour Hammar, L., Andersson, S., Eggertsen, L. Journal Article Marine Energy, Tidal Collision Fish, Demersal Fish
Final Report: Post-Construction Avian Monitoring Digby Neck Wind Farm Craig, C., Kearney, J. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Noise Birds
Estimates of Bird Collision Mortality at Wind Facilities in the Contiguous United States of America Loss, S., Will, T., Marra, P. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds
Evidence that Bats Perceive Wind Turbine Surfaces to be Water McAlexander, A. Thesis Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Attraction Bats
Wind Turbine Fatalities Approach a Level of Concern in a Raptor Population Bellebaum, J., Korner-Nievergelt, F., Durr, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds
The Influence of Group Size and Social Interactions on Collision Risk with Obstacles Croft, S., Budgey, R., Pitchford, J. Journal Article Wind Energy Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Birds
Biological and Existing Data Analysis to Inform Risk of Collision and Entanglement Hypotheses Kropp, R. Report Marine Energy, Wave Avoidance, Collision, Entanglement Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Hidden Markov Models for Estimating Animal Mortality from Anthropogenic Hazards Etterson, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds
Leaning Juniper II Wind Power Facility Wildlife Fatality Monitoring Study January 2011-July 2013 Downes, S. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Reducing Bat Fatalities From Interactions with Operating Wind Turbines (Fact Sheet) Lawson, M. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change Bats
Examining potential effects of marine renewable energy developments on top predators Philpott, E. Thesis Marine Energy, Tidal Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Physical Environment
Reducing Bat Fatalities from Interactions with Operating Wind Turbines National Wind Technology Center Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
A New Stochastic Dynamic Tool to Improve the Accuracy of Mortality Estimates for Bats Killed at Wind Farms Bastos, R., Santos, M., Cabral, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Bird Mortality at a Wind-Energy Facility near a Wetland of International Importance Grodsky, S., Jennelle, C., Drake, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Displacement, Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Birds
Diving Behaviour of Black Guillemots Cepphus grylle in the Pentland Firth, UK: Potential for Interactions with Tidal Stream Energy Developments Masden, E., Foster, S., Jackson, A. Journal Article Tidal, Marine Energy Collision Birds
Simulating Collisions for Hydrokinetic Turbines Richmond, M., Romero-Gomez, P., Rakowski, C. Report Marine Energy Collision Fish
Bird Communities and Wind Farms: A Phylogenetic and Morphological Approach Herrera-Alsina, L., Villegas-Patraca, R., Eguiarte, L. Journal Article Wind Energy Collision Birds
Who Should be Afraid of a Tidal Turbine - The Good the Bad or the Ugly? Hammar, L., Ehnberg, J. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Tidal Collision Fish, Pelagic Fish
Potential Effects of the Interaction Between Marine Mammals and Tidal Turbines - An Engineering and Biomechanical Analysis Carlson, T., Jepsen, R., Copping, A. Conference Paper Marine Energy, Tidal Collision Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Assessment of Offshore Wind Farm Effects on Birds and Needs to Plan their Future Development in Spain Mateos-Rodriguez, M., Muñoz, A., Arroyo, G. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision Birds, Seabirds
Bat Resources Reports for Beech Ridge Wind Energy Project US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Final 2012-2013 Annual Report Avian and Bat Monitoring Project Vasco Winds, LLC Brown, K., Smallwood, K., Karas, B. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
The Relative Vulnerability of Migratory Bird Species to Offshore Wind Energy Projects on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf: An Assessment Method and Database Willmott, J., Forcey, G., Kent, A. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Displacement Birds
Challenges and opportunities for animal conservation from renewable energy development Katzner, T., Johnson, J., Evans, D. Journal Article Wind Energy Collision Ecosystem Processes
Fågelundersökningar vid Storruns vindkraftanläggning, Jämtland (Bird surveys at Storrun's wind farm, Jämtland) Falkdalen, U., Lindahl, L., Nygård, T. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds, Ground-Nesting Birds
Tracking Marine Mammals Around Marine Renewable Energy Devices Using Active Sonar Hastie, G. Report Marine Energy Collision Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds
Long-Term Trends in Fatality Rates of Birds and Bats in the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area, California Smallwood, S. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats, Birds
Impacts of Wind Energy Development on Bats: Implications for Conservation Arnett, E., Baerwald, E. Book Chapter Wind Energy Displacement, Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Bats

Displaying 1121 - 1160 of 1637 results