The potential impact of wind turbines on birds is to become the focus of a new study by the University of the Highlands and Islands.
The project launched by the Environmental Research Institute in Thurso aims to develop an avian collision risk model which would incorporate factors such as variability and uncertainty in estimates of the number of birds likely to collide with wind turbines.
The study follows closely the scrapping of UK’s largest offshore windfarm project, the London Array, due to environmental worries over how the development would affect the local wildlife.
The 12-month project is being funded by the Natural Environment Research Council and is partnered by industry bodies and government regulators, including the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, ScottishPower Renewables, Marine Scotland Science and RenewableUK.
“The wind energy sector has been identified as an industry of strategic national importance,” said Dr Elizabeth Masden, leader of the study.
“However, one of the issues associated with offshore wind energy is that wind turbines may be a collision risk to sea birds but there is uncertainty over the magnitude of the risk.
“This uncertainty could have real consequences for the industry, causing potential delays to wind farm projects and impacting on the UK’s ambitious targets for renewable energy production.”
Recommended for you
