Abstract
The expansion of wind turbines is increasingly in conflict with legal provisions for the protection of endangered bird species. As part of a pilot study on automatic bird detection and thus on demandbased wind turbine (WT) shutdown, a camera-based system from the manufacturer BIOSECO was tested on a Vestas V150 4.2 MW (total height 200 m, hub height 125 m, lower rotor passage 50 m). The BIOSECO anti-collision system (ACS) is intended to protect birds by reducing the significantly increased risk of killing bird species that are sensitive to wind power (here: red kite, white-tailed eagle and white stork) and thus preventing the occurrence of species protection prohibitions. The use of functional ACS aims to reduce the collision risks posed by turbine operation (rotor rotation). The collision mitigation effect is achieved by putting the turbine into spin mode.
This Results Report presents a species protection assessment of this system. This study focuses on the compliance with the species protection based on KNE specifications (see KNE Checklist 2021: BRUNS et al. 2021). The performance features of the Bioseco system, such as detection rate, recognition rate, and coverage, were implemented and evaluated based on a professional trial (field test) in 2022. These system-specific performance features apply to sites with comparable visibility.
BIOCONSULT SH GMBH & CO. KG, Husum, was commissioned by PNE AG, Cuxhaven, to collect data and carry out a species protection assessment of the bird recognition system. For the data analysis part, BIONUM GMBH – Biostatistics and Ecological Statistics Office (Büro für Biostatistik und Ökologische Statistik) based in Hamburg was subcontracted.