Thermal cameras will record bird collisions at Hollandse Kust Zuid offshore wind farm in a test that starts this August. Vattenfall seeks the right technology to understand bird collision risk, as millions of birds migrate over the North Sea, posing a threat to wind farms.The start-stop procedure, activated when many birds are expected, disrupts power generation. Vattenfall aims to avoid this by trialling a thermal camera-based system with Wageningen Environmental Research and Wildlife Imaging Systems. 16 cameras will monitor potential collisions, with videos analysed using AI. Similar monitoring occurs at Aberdeen Bay Offshore Wind Farm. The study covers bird and bat activity, aiming to identify patterns and correlate them with weather conditions. The pilot project aims to improve collision monitoring accuracy, with future plans for wider implementation. Vattenfall collaborates with independent researchers and plans to involve authorities, universities, and NGOs in sharing findings for broader use.
