Optical Bird and Bat Detection for Targeted Wind Turbine Curtailment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods to mitigate the risk of wind turbines to protected bird and bat species are inefficient, often resulting in unnecessary curtailment of wind turbine operations, leading to energy and revenue loss, and have high capital costs, as they cannot specifically identify species and often overreact to potential threats.
Innovation Solution
An automated system using optical imaging technology with a controller and optical imaging sensors to detect and identify protected species at a distance, allowing for precise curtailment or deterrent measures only when necessary, thereby reducing operational risks to wind turbines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing mitigation methods curtail wind turbine operation when birds or bats are detected, then the risk to protected species is reduced, but energy loss and revenue loss increase due to unnecessary shutdowns
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical detection methods (acoustic sensors, radar) with optical imaging technology (cameras) to detect and identify birds and bats. This substitution enables visual confirmation of species identity, allowing operators to distinguish between protected and non-protected species, thereby reducing unnecessary curtailments while maintaining effective risk mitigation for protected species.
2Device complexity
If existing mitigation methods cannot specifically identify bird or bat species, then detection simplicity is maintained, but curtailment frequency increases leading to operational loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces simple detection systems that cannot identify species with optical imaging systems (cameras) that capture visual information. This enables specific species identification through image analysis, allowing operators to make informed decisions about curtailment based on whether protected species are present, thereby maintaining productivity while ensuring protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary step of visual identification between detection and curtailment decisions. Optical images serve as an intermediary that provides information about species identity, enabling operators to distinguish between protected and non-protected species before making curtailment decisions, thus reducing unnecessary operational disruptions.
3Ease of manufacture
If existing mitigation methods are implemented without species identification capability, then capital costs are reduced, but operational losses increase due to excessive curtailment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive complex systems (acoustic arrays, radar) with relatively simple optical imaging systems (cameras). This substitution achieves species identification capability at lower capital cost while reducing operational losses through targeted curtailment based on actual presence of protected species.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively mitigates risks to protected species by accurately identifying birds and bats, reducing unnecessary turbine shutdowns and energy loss, while minimizing capital costs through targeted intervention.
Implementation Method 1
The plurality of optical imaging sensors may include one or more wide angle field of view (WFOV) cameras and two or more high resolution cameras
Data Source
AI summary
An automated system for mitigating risk from a wind turbine includes a plurality of optical imaging sensors. A controller receives and analyzes images from the optical imaging sensors to automatically send a signal to curtail operation of the wind turbine to a predetermined risk mitigating level when the controller determines from images received from the optical imaging sensors that an airborne animal is at risk from the wind turbine.