Research priorities for wind energy and migratory wildlife

Piorkowski, Martin D.; Farnsworth, Andrew; Fry, Michael; Rohrbaugh, Ronald W.; Fitzpatrick, John W.; Rosenberg, Kenneth V.

doi:10.1002/jwmg.327

Cited by 34 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…In particular, it has been noted for some time that wind turbines have considerable impact on local wildlife populations, such as birds, bats and, for offshore farms, various marine wildlife [4]. Therefore, there have been recent calls for entirely new research programs to be developed solely to study the effects of wind generation on wildlife and how to mitigate [5].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aesthetic Local Search of Wind Farm Layouts

Mayo

Daoud

2017

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Abstract:The visual impact of wind farm layouts has seen little consideration in the literature on the wind farm layout optimisation problem to date. Most existing algorithms focus on optimising layouts for power or the cost of energy alone. In this paper, we consider the geometry of wind farm layouts and whether it is possible to bi-optimise a layout for both energy efficiency and the degree of visual impact that the layout exhibits. We develop a novel optimisation approach for solving the problem which measures mathematically the degree of visual impact of a layout. The approach draws inspiration from the field of architecture. To evaluate our ideas, we demonstrate them on three benchmark problems for the wind farm layout optimisation problem in conjunction with two recently-published stochastic local search algorithms. Optimal patterned layouts are shown to be very close in terms of energy efficiency to optimal non-patterned layouts.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aesthetic Local Search of Wind Farm Layouts

Mayo

Daoud

2017

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“…1). The Indiana bat migrates seasonally between maternity colonies and hibernacula (caves and mines where the species overwinters), exposing the species to differential seasonal risk to wind energy (Pruitt & TeWinkel, 2007; Piorkowski et al, 2012). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of wind energy generation and white-nose syndrome on the viability of the Indiana bat

Erickson

Thogmartin

Diffendorfer

et al. 2016

PeerJ

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Wind energy generation holds the potential to adversely affect wildlife populations. Species-wide effects are difficult to study and few, if any, studies examine effects of wind energy generation on any species across its entire range. One species that may be affected by wind energy generation is the endangered Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis), which is found in the eastern and midwestern United States. In addition to mortality from wind energy generation, the species also faces range-wide threats from the emerging infectious fungal disease, white-nose syndrome (WNS). White-nose syndrome, caused by Pseudogymnoascus destructans, disturbs hibernating bats leading to high levels of mortality. We used a spatially explicit full-annual-cycle model to investigate how wind turbine mortality and WNS may singly and then together affect population dynamics of this species. In the simulation, wind turbine mortality impacted the metapopulation dynamics of the species by causing extirpation of some of the smaller winter colonies. In general, effects of wind turbines were localized and focused on specific spatial subpopulations. Conversely, WNS had a depressive effect on the species across its range. Wind turbine mortality interacted with WNS and together these stressors had a larger impact than would be expected from either alone, principally because these stressors together act to reduce species abundance across the spectrum of population sizes. Our findings illustrate the importance of not only prioritizing the protection of large winter colonies as is currently done, but also of protecting metapopulation dynamics and migratory connectivity.

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“…Recent estimates indicate that wind farms in North America are responsible for up to 368,000 bird fatalities annually [4]. Consequently, the development and implementation of effective measures to reduce wind energy impacts on wildlife is recognized as a top priority by biologists, conservation organizations, regulators and the private sector (see reviews by [5][6][7]). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An autonomous GPS geofence alert system to curtail avian fatalities at wind farms

Sheppard

McGann²,

Lanzone³

et al. 2015

Anim Biotelemetry

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Background: Wind energy developments are increasingly proliferating as nations seek to secure clean and renewable energy supplies. Wind farms have serious impacts on avifauna populations through injuries sustained by collisions with turbines. Our aim was to develop new biotelemetric technologies to minimize collision risks, particularly for threatened and endangered bird species whose ranges overlap with current and future wind farm sites. Results:We report on the development and application of an autonomous alert system that successfully miniaturizes and integrates virtual geofence capability into solar-powered biotelemetry devices used to track species of large birds currently impacted by wind farms, such as cranes and raptors. These units combine a GPS receiver with a GSM communications system that transmits acquired high-resolution location data via cellular networks in near real-time. Custom sized geofences can be placed around wind farms. When a telemetered bird ingresses one of these virtual boundaries the GPS location fix rate decreases from 15-min to 30 s and an SMS alert is automatically transmitted to a user group within 2-min. When the bird egresses the geofence zone, a second alert is sent and the fix rate returns to 15-min to conserve transmitter energy and data acquisition costs. Conclusions:Combining GPS level accuracy, a high fix sampling rate, location data received in near real-time, and automated SMS alerts into an integrated, flexible and cost-effective geofence biotelemetry system will provide conservation managers and wind farm operators with sufficient warning and time to implement mitigative actions to curtail avian collision fatalities.

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Research priorities for wind energy and migratory wildlife

Cited by 34 publications

References 26 publications

Aesthetic Local Search of Wind Farm Layouts

Aesthetic Local Search of Wind Farm Layouts

Effects of wind energy generation and white-nose syndrome on the viability of the Indiana bat

An autonomous GPS geofence alert system to curtail avian fatalities at wind farms

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