New research to protect eagles from wind turbines

Researchers from Oregon State University (OSU) will work to make eagles less likely to collide with wind-turbine blades, according to a news release from OSU on Tuesday.

Wind power uses towers up to 300 feet, or about 91 meters, tall, typically equipped with three blades with wingspans double that of a Boeing 747 passenger plane. At their tips, the blades are moving close to 320 kilometers per hour.

The U.S. Department of Energy Wind Technology Office has awarded Roberto Albertani of the OSU College of Engineering a grant of 625,000 U,S, dollars over a 27-month period to develop technology for detecting and deterring approaching birds, particularly bald eagles and golden eagles, and for determining if a blade strike has occurred.

There are estimated 143,000 bald eagles and 40,000 golden eagles in the United States.

"We're the only team in the world doing this kind of work," Albertani, an associate professor of mechanical engineering, was quoted as saying by the news release.

He said if successful, the system will be a major breakthrough in a safer-for-wildlife expansion of wind energy worldwide. "There's no research available, but hopefully those will deter the eagles from coming closer to the turbines. We want the deterrent to be simple and affordable." Endit