The application of advanced technology in the environmental management of wind farms is delivering tangible results in protecting avifauna. Solutions developed by Minsait, a company of the Indra group, enable reductions of up to 80% in bird collisions with wind turbines, effectively reconciling renewable energy production with biodiversity preservation, as disclosed in a press release.
According to the same source, wind farms are often installed in areas where protected birds exist, nest, or transit, which can give rise to significant environmental impacts and operational risks. In addition to biodiversity loss, situations of high accident rates can lead to financial penalties or suspension of activity, as provided by environmental regulations in force in several European countries.
To address this challenge, Minsait developed a technological solution already implemented in several wind farms on the Iberian Peninsula, based on the combination of 3D radar, smart cameras, and artificial intelligence algorithms.
The system, which operates every day of the year, at all hours, enables early detection of birds, analysis of their flight trajectories—with a mid-range 3D radar and continuous analysis with 360º coverage, a high update rate (one sweep per second), and detection of small targets up to 3–4 km—as well as continuous assessment of collision risk, enabling automatic and selective action on turbines. More than 81% of critical trajectories maintain stability for over 30 seconds, allowing proactive action (stopping or sufficiently slowing the turbines).
“Thanks to this approach, decisions to stop or slow down wind turbines are made in real time and only when there is an actual risk, avoiding unnecessary production interruptions. Operational studies carried out at parks where the solution is operating show that more than 80% of critical trajectories are identified with sufficient lead time, enabling deceleration or stopping the turbines in a safe and effective manner,” explains Anota.
The solution also stands out for its advanced capacity to classify birds, including species and subspecies, which allows applying differentiated strategies depending on the level of criticality of each animal. Integrated with the parks’ control systems (SCADA), the technology also provides analysis, monitoring and auditing tools, essential for regulatory compliance and for the ongoing optimization of operation.
“The combination of the technologies applied allows us to achieve a highly effective solution, proving that innovation is essential to respond to the environmental challenges of the energy sector. We are transforming the environmental management of wind farms into an intelligent, measurable process aligned with the sustainable growth goals of renewable energy,” says João Januário, Minsait’s Energy Director in Portugal (Indra Group).
For the energy sector, this type of technology “assumes an increasingly relevant role and, in a context of growing environmental demands and ambitious decarbonization targets, Minsait’s technology demonstrates that it is possible to increase wind generation capacity while guaranteeing high standards of sustainability and biodiversity protection,” concludes the press release.
