NatForWINSENT II - Phase 2

In Phase 1 of the implementation of nature conservation research at the wind energy test site, the occurrence and behaviour of birds and bats at the test site was investigated in detail before the wind turbines were erected. In phase 2 of the NatForWINSENT-II project, the investigations will be continued after the two research wind turbines have been erected. The turbines were in spin mode in the first year and in operation in the second.

The aim of the studies is to gain a better understanding of the occurrence and behaviour of birds and bats at wind turbines. The basis for this is a comprehensive comparison of data before and after the erection of the wind turbines at the test site. Radar studies on general flight behaviour as well as telemetry and laser range finder studies on the individual flight behaviour of red kites in particular serve as the data basis for bird research. Bat research is based on acoustic surveys at several heights at the wind turbines and the four wind measurement masts and flight paths at the wind turbines, which are recorded with the aid of a stereo thermal imaging camera system. In addition, the occurrence of insects is also recorded and correlated with bat activity.

As a result, existing avoidance measures - such as shutdown algorithms - are to be improved and new, particularly technical, avoidance measures are to be developed and tested for their effectiveness. In addition to testing technical devices for recording and recognising species, the investigations will also focus on controlling turbine operation to protect against collisions, as well as linking the nature conservation data with the meteorological data collected at the test site.