Prinsen, H.

As a senior bird ecologist Hein has been involved in effect studies for wind farms, both offshore and onshore, for more than 20 years. This has included multi-year field studies into collisions and flight behavior using dedicated bird radars, including studies in UK and Italy. He has coordinated and co-authored more than 200 studies into the possible effects of wind energy on birds and bats, including many tens of EIAs and consenting studies for large-scale (>100 MW) onshore wind farms in the Netherlands. As a follow-up he designed the ecological monitoring programs for five of these large-scale wind farms. He also co-authored the environmental chapters for six regional SEAs for renewable energy (wind, solar, biomass). As part of the consenting procedures he regularly conceived nature-inclusive solutions to mitigate negative effects, such as near-shore shallow feeding areas for resting and feeding waterfowl and shutdown-on-demand rules for migrating birds. Hein is a leading consultant for the Dutch national program on energy transition and member of the environmental working group of the Dutch Wind Energy Association. Between 2015 and 2020 Hein was head of the bird ecology department at Bureau Waardenburg. The department consists of 20 bird ecologists involved with a.o. impact assessments, behavioral- and population studies.