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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
Pre-Construction Avian and Bat Survey Report Tetra Tech Inc. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Physical Environment
An Estimate of Avian Mortality at Communication Towers in the United States and Canada Longcore, T., Rich, C., Mineau, P. Journal Article Collision Birds
Testing an Emerging Paradigm in Migration Ecology Shows Surprising Differences in Efficiency between Flight Modes Duerr, A., Miller, T., Lanzone, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds, Raptors
Biglow Canyon Wind Farm – Phase III - Year 1 Avian and Bat Monitoring Report Enk, T., Bay, K., Sonnenberg, M. Report Collision Bats, Birds
Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm Environmental Statement Section 13: Wind Farm Ornithology Arcus Consultancy Services Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Lighting, Noise Birds, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
2011 Post-Construction Monitoring Study Criterion Wind Project Garrett County, Maryland Young, D., Lout, M., Courage, Z. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds, Bats
Research Priorities for Wind Energy and Migratory Wildlife Piorkowski, M., Farnsworth, A., Fry, M. Journal Article Wind Energy Displacement, Collision, Avoidance Birds, Bats
Criterion Wind Project Avian Protection Plan Young, D., Tidhar, D. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Displacement, Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Legal & Policy, Human Dimensions, Birds, Bats
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Guidance Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Terrestrial Mammals, Human Dimensions
Greater impacts of wind farms on bird populations during construction than subsequent operation: results of a multi-site and multi-species analysis Pearce-Higgins, J., Stephen, L., Douse, A. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Displacement, Collision, Avoidance Birds
Measuring the interaction between marine features of Special Protection Areas with offshore wind farm development zones through telemetry: second year report Thaxter, C., Ross-Smith, V., Clark, N. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Avoidance, Collision, Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds
Target Strength of Southern Resident Killer Whales (Orcinus orca): Measurement and Modeling Xu, J., Deng, Z., Carlson, T. Journal Article Marine Energy Collision Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Laboratory Experiments on the Effects of Blade Strike from Hydrokinetic Energy Technologies on Larval and Juvenile Freshwater Fishes Schweizer, P., Cada, G., Bevelhimer, M. Report Riverine, Marine Energy Collision Fish
Strategic Impact Assessment of Offshore Windpower in Norway - Impacts on Seabirds Lorensten, S., Christensen-Dalsgaard, S., Follestad, A. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Habitat Change Birds, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Using a Collision Risk Model to Assess Bird Collision Risks for Offshore Wind Farms Band, B. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision Birds
Best Management Practices for siting, developing, operating, and monitoring renewable energy in the Intermountain West: A Conservationist's Guide Jones, A. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Displacement, Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Terrestrial Mammals, Raptors, Legal & Policy, Human Dimensions, Ground-Nesting Birds, Birds, Bats
Putting Aeolus to work without the death toll: federal wind farm siting guidelines can mitigate avian and Chiropteran mortality Mensing, B. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Raptors
Griffon Vulture Mortality at Wind Farms in Southern Spain: Distribution of Fatalities and Active Mitigation Measures de Lucas, M., Ferrer, M., Bechard, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Collision, Avoidance Raptors, Birds
A Review of Methods to Monitor Collisions or Micro-Avoidance of Birds with Offshore Wind Turbines - Part 2: Feasibility Study of Systems to Monitor Collisions Collier, M., Dirksen, S., Krijgsveld, K. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Avoidance, Collision Birds
Sediment-Laden Ice Measurements and Observations, and Implications for Potential Interactions of Ice and Large Woody Debris with Tidal Turbines in Minas Passage Sanderson, B., Redden, A., Broome, J. Report Tidal, Marine Energy Collision Fish
Draft Black Oak & Getty Wind Avian and Bat Protection Plan Black Oak Wind, Getty Wind Company Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats, Birds
Vulnerability of Scottish Seabirds to Offshore Wind Turbines Furness, B., Wade, H. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Avoidance, Collision, Habitat Change Birds, Raptors, Seabirds, Waterfowl
Avian and Bat Protection Plan for the Ocotillo Wind Energy Facility Ocotillo Express Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats, Birds, Raptors
Large Scale Interactive Coupled 3D Modelled for Wave and Tidal Energy Resource and Environmental Impact (TeraWatt) Heath, M., Harris, R., McKee, D. Research Study Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Collision, Habitat Change Invertebrates
Weak Relationship Between Risk Assessment Studies and Recorded Mortality in Wind Farms Ferrer, M., Lucas, M., Janss, G. Journal Article Wind Energy Displacement, Collision, Avoidance Raptors, Birds
A Forensic Investigation Into the Etiology of Bat Mortality at a Wind Farm: Barotrauma or Traumatic Injury? Rollins, K., Meyerholz, D., Johnson, G. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Big Blue Wind Energy Project Avian and Bat Protection Plan Western Ecosystems Technology Inc (WEST) Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats
The prosecutor's vulture: inconsistent MBTA prosecution, its clash with wind farms, and how to fix it Brunner, S. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change Birds
Habitat Use, Disturbance and Collision Risks for Bewick's Swans Cygnus columbianus bewickii Wintering Near a Wind Farm in the Netherlands Fijn, R., Krijgsveld, K., Tijsen, W. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds, Waterfowl
Flight Call Rates of Migrating Thrushes: Effects of Wind Conditions, Humidity and Time of Day at an Illuminated Offshore Platform Hüppop, O., Hilgerloh, G. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Attraction Passerines, Birds
Interactions with Offshore Wind Energy: Birds and Bats Island Institute Presentation Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Habitat Change, Collision, Changes in Flow, Avoidance, Attraction Seabirds, Birds, Bats
Habitat use, disturbance and collision risk for Bewick’s Swans Cygnus columbianus bewickii wintering near a wind farm in the Netherlands Fijn, R., Krijgsveld, K., Tijsen, W. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds, Waterfowl
Have we all gone batty? The need for a better balance between the conservation of protected species and the development of clean renewable energy Householder, L. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Human Dimensions
Effects of Acoustic Deterrents on Foraging Bats Johnson, J., Ford, W., Rodrigue, J. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Mortality at wind-farms is positively related to large-scale distribution and aggregation in griffon vultures Carrete, M., Sanchez-Zapata, J., Benitez, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Collision Raptors, Birds
Model-Based Estimation of Collision Risks of Predatory Birds with Wind Turbines Eichhorn, M., Johst, K., Seppelt, R. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Raptors, Birds
Reduced Breeding Success in White-Tailed Eagles at Smøla windfarm, Western Norway, is Caused by Mortality and Displacement Dahl, E., Bevanger, K., Nygård, T. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Displacement, Collision Raptors, Birds
New Zealand Falcon Monitoring and Risk Assessment, Hurunui Wind Farm Meridian Energy Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Collision Raptors, Birds
Where eagles nest, the wind also blows: consolidating habitat and energy needs Wilson, J., Wilson, T. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds, Raptors
Quantifying Benefits and Impacts of Fishing Exclusion Zones on Bio-Resources around Marine Renewable Energy Installations (QBEX) Blondel, P., Bryden, I., Conley, D. Research Study Marine Energy, Ocean Current, Tidal, Wave Collision, Habitat Change Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals

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