The protection of birds against the risk of collision with wind turbines is an increasingly demanding demand that companies promoting wind projects must meet. The Generalitat gave the green light on January 23 to the favorable environmental impact declaration for the Galatea wind farm, in La Jonquera, the first facility of its kind in the Empordà. But the Administration has imposed on the promoter as conditions, among other requirements, the obligation to install “the most efficient technological systems, such as stereoscopic artificial vision cameras” (3D) to detect the presence of birds and avoid collisions.
The incorporation of these new technologies is a new requirement in Spain, and this is the first time that it has occurred in Catalonia.
The Catalan Administration considers it necessary for the new park to install the most advanced technological systems, such as those for stereoscopic artificial vision with groups of high definition cameras, capable of detecting and positioning in three dimensions in real time the specimens that approach the blades in motion.
The company must record and anticipate the trajectory of the birds to “apply deterrence actions, of proven effectiveness, or to stop the blades,” says the environmental impact statement.
The Galatea park will not be able to come into operation until the company has the personnel or systems that can execute the monitoring and deterrence measures or stop the blades at times of greatest risk or when migration passes.
In any case, the operating system used will remain active during the first five years of operation of the park; and, based on the results of the monitoring of fauna and mortality studies, the promoter may dispense with this surveillance in those wind turbines that do not pose a risk of collision.
In previous works (2021) samplings were carried out that have allowed the presence of birds to be detected in the area, such as the common crane, cormorant, short-toed eagle, griffon vulture, great raven or black kite. Ornithologists have raised concerns about the high toll windmills can take on birds.
“The use of these cameras began in the United States and now they are being introduced in Spain because the administrations are beginning to demand them; their price has become cheaper, they have been tested and are working well,” says Alejandro Onrubia, a technician at the Migres Foundation. If the administrations demand them, these technologies will become cheaper, he adds. “The progress it represents is tremendous,” Onrubia emphasizes.
The company Liquen Consultoría Ambiental markets the DTBird system, which has different models of cameras designed to monitor and reduce the risk of bird collisions. The equipment has three modules: one, detection, based on image analysis in real time through cameras; a second deterrent, which emits sounds in real time for the flights of birds at risk of collision (and for which it uses loudspeakers located near the blades of the wind turbine); and, finally, a third module sends a signal to stop and reactivate the wind turbine in the event of preconfigured collision risk conditions.
To do this, cameras are used that are placed on the wind turbine tower with a 360-degree view and include automatic analysis using artificial intelligence. “To do this, we have daytime, nighttime and soon stereoscopic 3D models,” says Agustín Riopérez, the company’s chief executive. To prepare the stop of the wind turbine, the software is programmed taking into account the position and trajectory of the bird or group of birds (for example, if there are more than 3 bird flights in 15 minutes). “The stop signal is deactivated when there is no longer any risk to the birds,” adds Riopérez.
The company has independent third-party evaluations (in the United States and Sweden) that demonstrate “reductions in collision risk from 36 to 83% depending on the species, wind turbines, models and modules installed”
Jaume Morron, manager of the Associació Eòlica de Catalunya, described the measure as “very positive”, since in this way “locations where until now it was not possible to locate wind farms would now be feasible, thanks to this modern technology”.
The Galatea de La Jonquera wind farm, promoted by Endesa, will involve an investment of 50 million euros, and will be located outside protected natural areas. It will have 9 wind turbines and would generate the equivalent of the electricity consumption of half of the homes in the Alt Empordà.
