Abstract
This report includes a guidance document to optimize and validate bird radars in the offshore windfarms.
In current practice, collision risk models like the Band model are often used in impact assessments of offshore wind farms. The results of Band model calculations are generally strongly dependent on estimates for a limited number of parameters, and the outcome may vary widely with minor changes in just a few of the input estimates. Therefore, it is important to validate the assumptions used in the collision modelling, in order to improve the confidence around mortality estimates. To achieve this goal, Rijkswaterstaat (RWS) has installed a 3D Fixed Robin Radar in the offshore wind farm Luchterduinen (LUD). This radar is the first radar system in an expected series of six radars that will be placed in offshore wind farms in the near future.
RWS has commissioned Bureau Waardenburg to validate the radars at LUD. This report serves as a guidance document, in which we describe a standardized method for validation of bird radars in future locations. Based on this document, monitoring of these radars can be carried out in a standardized way in other offshore wind farms in the future.
The following persons contributed to the realisation of this report: Elisa Bravo Rebolledo reporting; Daniel Beuker reporting; Abel Gyimesi reporting, project management; Ruben Fijn quality assurance.