A simple way to prevent birds from colliding into wind turbines

Wind turbines are an essential source of renewable energy, contributing significantly to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. However, one of the most notable environmental challenges of wind farms is bird collisions with turbine blades, which has led to the death of many birds, including endangered species.

This problem has generated an urgent need to find effective and practical solutions to mitigate this negative impact. One of the simplest and most promising solutions, based on recent studies, is to paint the turbine blades and posts with black and white colors instead of just white.

Birds, when flying, often do not detect the blades of wind turbines, especially when they are in motion. The blades, typically painted white, can blend into the sky or surroundings, making them almost invisible to birds. The speed at which the blades rotate also plays an important role, as it can make their detection even more difficult.

This phenomenon results in a significant number of fatal collisions, which not only affect bird populations, but also create problems for the wind industry in terms of environmental regulations and public perception.

Before exploring the black and white solution, several strategies have been tried to reduce bird collisions with wind turbines. These strategies included:

Location of Wind Farms: Carefully select the locations of wind farms to avoid areas of high migratory bird activity or habitats of vulnerable species.

Deterrent Devices: Use of devices that emit sounds or lights to scare away birds.

Detection Technology: Implementation of radar and camera systems to detect the presence of birds and stop the turbines temporarily.

Solutions in general are quite expensive and with very different results. So the search for a simple and low-cost solution remains a priority.

Different tests have been carried out. In some cases painting the blades and towers with black and white stripes, and in other cases painting one blade black and the other two white, and the results were that bird strikes decreased by 70%.

This technique, known as “contrast painting” has a very simple principle: contrasting colors improve visibility. Birds have a different perception of color than humans, and the use of contrasting colors (black and white) makes the blades more prominent in their field of vision.

The cost and maintenance of this solution is very low, and can promote public acceptance of wind energy.