Between six and twenty-five million birds die each year by colliding with wind-turbine blades in Spain. As wind power expands, these bird fatalities are expected to rise. Collisions with turbines, affecting many species including those that are endangered, have long been a major criticism of wind-energy facilities. In response, a suite of real-time monitoring and control technologies has emerged over the past year, aiming to prevent or at least lessen the impact of wind farms on local wildlife.
New systems entering markets worldwide can halt turbine blades when a bird is detected nearby and can deter animals from approaching the turbines. These autonomous devices, installed on the turbine or at its base, monitor bird activity in real time and help prevent dangerous encounters.
Some autonomous communities, such as Catalonia, are moving to require wind-project backers to install the most effective technological systems. While Ana Carricondo, director of SEO BirdLife, supports such measures, she warns against using them as a pretext to blanket the landscape with turbines. She cautions that this should not be treated as a license to place mills indiscriminately, potentially harming birds.
She emphasizes that this approach is not a definitive fix and should not lead to installations in highly sensitive migration zones, noting that no device is 100 percent effective. Effectiveness depends greatly on weather, visibility, and other situational factors, she adds.
These devices are not brand-new, but they are becoming more accurate and efficient. Since 2011, experts have recommended using them alongside other methods to reduce mortality, recognizing that any reduction in deaths is valuable.
The system comprises three modules. The detection module uses high-definition and thermal cameras to monitor a full 360-degree view around the turbine, identifying birds in real time so swift decisions can be made to avoid collisions. A deterrence module uses species-specific sounds to warn birds when they enter a danger zone. The final module regulates turbine movement, stopping or restarting the generator based on live risk assessments and adapting to different bird groups.
As early as 2011, SEO BirdLife estimated that more than 18,000 wind turbines in Spain could cause between 6 and 18 million bird and bat deaths annually. Since then, the number has grown in step with the expansion of wind farms. A later study by the same organization recorded 6,058 birds admitted to rescue centers due to turbine collisions between 2000 and 2018, representing a notable share of refusals and admissions.
While no comparable nationwide study has followed, SEO BirdLife warned that the true figures could be higher, given that today around 1,300 wind farms and more than 21,000 turbines operate across Spain.
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