Wind Energy Bird Monitoring (BMS) & Mitigation Systems (BMMS)

The MERLIN^® Avian Radar System is the most advanced and proven bird & bat monitoring system available for windfarm project avian survey, risk assessment, monitoring and real-time risk mitigation with over 1,000 systems delivered worldwide. The MERLIN^® technology was originally developed for the US Air Force and NASA as a precision bird detection radar system to provide real-time information to controllers, pilots and managers to reduce bird-aircraft strike risk.

MERLIN^® technology is capable of collecting high quality data on bird activity at ranges of 3-8 miles around proposed wind farm sites. These data can be used to develop detailed pre-construction mortality risk projections and for operational mitigation.

With the MERLIN^® bird and bat mortality risk mitigation feature, the MERLIN^® system can be used at operating wind farms to function as an “early warning” system providing advance detection of bird & bat activity that presents mortality risk, automatically engaging response mitigation actions up to and including idling of turbines until the risk passes.

DeTect provides full operational and technical support to wind farm owners, developers, operators and consultants that includes system deployment, operation, user training, and data processing, analysis, reporting and QA/QC.

Staff specialists include highly knowledgeable radar ornithologists, avian biologists, engineers and statisticians that comprises the top team of experts in remote sensing of birds and bats in the world – with specific expertise in design, construction and operation of bird/wildlife detection systems for real-time aviation safety and environmental management.

Shutdown on Demand Systems (SDOD)

Shutdown on Demand (SDOD) systems are designed to reduce bird fatalities at wind farms by stopping turbines in response to the presence of at-risk species or high numbers of birds. These systems utilize various technologies to detect bird movements in real-time, including 2D and 3D radar, camera systems, GPS transmitters, geofencing technology, and AI.

The decision to shut down turbines is made by wind farm personnel after receiving information from detection systems. SDOD has been shown to be an effective method for minimizing bird fatalities, with reductions ranging from 50% to nearly 100% for target species. For example, Griffon Vulture mortality was reduced by 92.8% with a minimal loss of energy production.

WTRIM

WTRIM systems are part of a broader effort to address the potential interference caused by wind turbines on radar systems.

The systems include:

• Tool for Siting, Planning, and Encroachment Analysis for Renewables (TSPEAR): A tool that provides a core sighting framework interface for advanced siting tools such as wind turbine/radar interference models, environmental impact models, and transmission access models.
• Increased Range Resolution Algorithm: A strategy to develop and facilitate the deployment of hardware and software mitigation measures to increase the resilience of existing radar systems to wind turbines.

These systems are part of a collaborative effort involving federal agencies, industry, and national laboratories to ensure the continued operation of critical radar missions while accommodating the growth of wind energy development.