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MEDIA
RELEASE
(For immediate release)
Monday, 02 October 2023
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SAWEA
AND BIRDLIFE SOUTH AFRICA RELEASE NEW RESOURCE TO ENCOURAGE WIND FARMS
TO TRIAL BLADE PATTERNING AS A MEANS TO CONSERVE BIRDS
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[Monday, 2 October 2023] The vision of birds, particularly those that hunt from
the air, such as birds of prey, has not evolved to perceive large,
moving structures in their environment, such as wind turbines. This is
largely due to birds’ physiological limitations, such as low colour
contrast detection abilities, combined with motion smear created by
moving, un-patterned turbine blades. This makes these species
vulnerable to blade collisions, which is particularly concerning for
threatened species.
However, there may be a relatively simple solution on the horizon:
experience in Norway suggests that painting (“patterning”) wind turbine
blades can improve their visibility and reduce avifaunal
fatalities.
This exciting research spurred the South African Wind Energy
Association (SAWEA) and BirdLife South Africa to join forces to
encourage similar experiments at local wind farms in order to test, and
ultimately prove, the effectiveness of this solution.
As an initial outcome of this initiative, SAWEA and BirdLife South
Africa have compiled a briefing document for wind farm developers,
environmental consultants, and decision-makers which outlines the key
considerations of this innovative, low-tech approach to onsite
mitigation.
The briefing document is available on the SAWEA and BirdLife South
Africa websites at the following links:
Ends
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Left:
An unpatterned wind turbine in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Although
quite visible to humans, it is thought that birds don’t always perceive
the moving wind turbine blades as a threat. Source: © Samantha
Ralston-Paton
Right:
The first of its kind in Africa: A red patterned blade on a wind
turbine at the Umoya Energy Wind Farm at Hopefield in the Western Cape,
South Africa. Source: © Dr Rob Simmons
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About SAWEA
The South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) represents the
interests of its members who are invested in the South African wind
power value chain.
SAWEA activities are focused on:
- Advocacy
for investment in wind power;
- Promotion
of socio-economic development and transformation through wind
power;
- Excellent
operational practice in the generation of wind power;
- Provision
of pertinent information on the SA wind power market;
- Promotion
of renewable power in large and small-scale applications;
- Promotion
of wind and renewable power investment in Africa.
Find out more about
SAWEA here: https://sawea.org.za.
About
BirdLife South Africa
BirdLife South Africa is the country partner of BirdLife International,
a global partnership of conservation organisations that strives to
conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, by working with
people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources. BirdLife
International partners operate in more than 120 countries worldwide.
BirdLife South Africa relies on donor funding and financial support
from the public to carry out its critical conservation work.
Find out more about
BirdLife South Africa’s Birds & Renewable Energy Project here: https://www.birdlife.org.za/birds-renewable-energy.
Find out more about BirdLife South Africa here: https://www.birdlife.org.za.
Phone: +27 11 789 1122
Email: in...@birdlife.org.za
For
interviews or comment, please contact:
SAWEA
Liandra Scott-Shaw, Chair, Environmental Working Group, SAWEA
Email:
Enviro...@sawea.org.za
Email:
lscot...@slrconsulting.com
Shaun Taylor, Chair, Wind Energy & Birds Sub Working Group, SAWEA
Email:
Shaun....@mainstreamrp.com
BirdLife South Africa
Samantha Ralston-Paton, Birds and Renewable Energy Project Manager,
BirdLife South Africa
Email:
ene...@birdlife.org.za
Andy Wassung, Communications Manager, BirdLife South Africa
Email:
andy.w...@birdlife.org.za
Images
NB: Please
credit images as they appear above.
Please get in touch for images
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