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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: 1657

Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
Bats Avoid Radar Installations: Could Electromagnetic Fields Deter Bats from Colliding with Wind Turbines? Racey, P., Nicholls, B. Journal Article Wind Energy Avoidance, Collision, EMF Bats
Collision Risks Between Marine Renewable Energy Devices and Mammals, Fish and Diving Birds Wilson, B., Batty, R., Daunt, F. Report Marine Energy Collision Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Eagle Owl and Wind Power development at Karmøy, Western Norway Rov, N., Jacobsen, K. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Displacement Birds, Raptors
Proceedings of the NWCC Wildlife Workgroup Research Planning Meeting VI Schwartz, S. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Birds
Variation in Bat and Bird Fatalities at Wind Energy Facilities: Assessing the Effects of Rotor Size and Tower Height Barclay, R., Baerwald, E., Gruver, J. Journal Article Wind Energy Collision Bats, Birds
Renewable Energy Resources and Wildlife: Impacts and Opportunities Arnett, E., Strickland, M., Morrison, M. Conference Paper Wind Energy Collision, Habitat Change Bats, Birds
Collision Mortalities at Horseshoe Shoal of Bird Species of Special Concern Hatch, J., Brault, S. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Avoidance, Collision, Displacement Birds, Seabirds, Shorebirds, Waterfowl
Impact of Wind Turbines on Birds in Zeebrugge (Belgium): Significant Effect on Breeding Tern Colony Due to Collisions Everaert, J., Stienen, E. Journal Article Wind Energy Collision Seabirds, Birds
A Preliminary Evaluation on the Use of Dogs to Recover Bat Fatalities at Wind Energy Facilities Arnett, E. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Collision risks between marine renewable energy devices and mammals, fish and diving birds: Report to the Scottish Executive Wilson, B., Batty, R., Daunt, F. Report Marine Energy, Tidal, Wave Attraction, Collision Birds, Seabirds, Fish, Marine Mammals
Nocturnal Bird Migration Over an Appalachian Ridge at a Proposed Wind Power Project Mabee, T., Cooper, B., Plissner, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds
Methods Used During Gross Necropsy to Determine Watercraft-Related Mortality in the Florida Manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) Lightsey, J., Rommel, S., Costidis, A. Journal Article Collision Marine Mammals
Preliminary Field Test Results of an Acoustic Deterrent with the Potential to Reduce Bat Mortality from Wind Turbines Szewczak, J., Arnett, E. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Patterns of Pre-Construction Bat Activity at a Proposed Wind Facility in South-Central Pennsylvania Arnett, E., Hayes, J., Huso, M. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change Bats
A Review of the Impacts of Wind Farms on Hen Harriers Circus cyaneus and an Estimation of Collision Avoidance Rates Whitfield, D., Madders, M. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Avoidance, Collision, Displacement Birds, Raptors
Wind Farm Related Mortality Among Avian Migrants - A Remote Sensing Study and Model Analysis Desholm, M. Thesis Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision Birds
The Effects of Wind Turbines on Antipredator Behavior in California Ground Squirrels (Spermophilus beecheyi) Rabin, L., Coss, R., Owings, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Noise, Collision, Avoidance Terrestrial Mammals, Raptors, Ecosystem Processes, Birds
Patterns of Pre-Construction Bat Activity Determined Using Acoustic Monitoring at a Proposed Wind Facility in South-Central Wisconsin Redell, D., Arnett, E., Hayes, J. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Habitat Change Bats
Breeding bird habitat use and turbine collisions of birds and bats located at a wind farm in Oklahoma mixed-grass prairie Piorkowski, M. Thesis Wind Energy Collision Bats, Birds
Bird Movements and Behaviors in the Gulf Coast Region: Relation to Potential Wind-Energy Developments Morrison, M. Report Wind Energy Habitat Change, Collision Birds
The Effect of Avoidance Rates on Bird Mortality Predictions Made by Wind Turbine Collision Risk Models Chamberlain, D., Rehfisch, M., Fox, A. Journal Article Wind Energy Displacement, Collision, Avoidance, Attraction Waterfowl, Seabirds, Raptors, Birds
Radio Telemetry as a Tool for Impact Assessment of Wind Farms: The Case of Little Terns Sterna albifrons at Scroby Sands, Norfolk, UK Perrow, M., Skeate, E., Lines, P. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision Birds, Seabirds
Assessing the Impacts of Wind Farms on Birds Drewitt, A., Langston, R. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds
Remote Techniques for Counting and Estimating the Number of Bird-Wind Turbine Collisions at Sea: A Review Desholm, M., Fox, A., Beasley, P. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision Birds
Information Needs to Support Environmental Impact Assessments of the Effects of European Marine Offshore Wind Farms on Birds Fox, A., Desholm, M., Kahlert, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Bird Migration Studies and Potential Collision Risk with Offshore Wind Turbines Hüppop, O., Dierschke, J., Exo, K. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement Birds, Passerines
Upland Raptors and the Assessment of Wind Farm Impacts Madders, M., Whitfield, D. Journal Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Avoidance Raptors, Birds
Efforts to Reduce Mortality to Hydroelectric Turbine-Passed Fish: Locating and Quantifying Damaging Shear Stresses Cada, G., Loar, J., Garrison, L. Journal Article Marine Energy, Riverine Collision Fish
Bird collision monitoring system for multi megawatt wind turbines WT-Bird: Summary of prototype development and testing Wiggelinkhuizen, E., Rademakers, L., Barhorst, S. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision Birds
Impacts on Biodiversity of Exploitation of Renewable Energy Sources: The Example of Birds and Bats Hötker, H., Thomsen, K., Jeromin, H. Report Wind Energy Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Bats, Birds
Final Results of Bird Studies at the Offshore Wind Farms at Nysted and Horns Rev, Denmark Petersen, I., Christensen, T., Kahlert, J. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Habitat Change Birds, Seabirds
Impacts of Wind Farms on Birds in Evros and Rhodopi, Greece: Preliminary results Ruiz, G., Poirazidis, K., Schindler, S. Conference Paper Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Displacement Birds, Raptors
Evaluation of Blade-Strike Models for Estimating the Biological Performance of Large Kaplan Turbines Deng, Z., Carlson, T., Ploskey, G. Report Marine Energy, Riverine Collision Fish, Pelagic Fish
Environmental effect studies – Status more than two years after the erection of Horns Rev and Nysted Offshore Wind Farms Boesen, C., Andersen, S. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, EMF, Habitat Change, Noise Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals
Battered by harsh winds - must bats pay the price for wind energy? Tuttle, M. Magazine Article Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision, Attraction Bats
Impacts on Wildlife and Government Responsibilities for Regulating Development and Protecting Wildlife Office, United States Government Accountability Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Habitat Change, Displacement, Collision, Avoidance Legal & Policy, Human Dimensions, Birds, Bats
Bird Mortality at the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area: March 1998 - September 2001 Smallwood, K., Thelander, C. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Birds
Avian Collision Risk at an Offshore Wind Farm Desholm, M., Kahlert, J. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Avoidance Waterfowl, Birds
Relationships between Bats and Wind Turbines in Pennsylvania and West Virginia: An Assessment of Fatality Search Protocols, Patterns of Fatality, and Behavioral Interactions with Wind Turbines Arnett, E., Erickson, W., Kerns, J. Report Wind Energy, Land-Based Wind Collision Bats
Bird Strikes and Electrocutions at Power Lines, Communication Towers, and Wind Turbines: State of the Art and State of the Science - Next Steps Toward Mitigation Manville, A. Conference Paper Wind Energy Collision Birds

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