Tasmanian wind farm installs new aerial surveillance technology to protect Aussie eagles

A Tasmanian wind farm will set up sophisticated aerial detection technology at its Castle Hill Wind Farm, to help protect Australia’s native wedge-tail eagle.

 

Developed by IdentiFlight in partnership with the operator of the clean energy facility Goldwind Australia, the site is the first location in Australia to implement the warning system.

Using tower-mounted sensors designed to detect flying objects, the algorithm is able to send a message to the wind turbine and shut it down before a bird arrives at the blades.

In an annual report, the state-owned electricity body, TasNetworks, estimated that at least 29 eagles were killed in the year to June.

“Goldwind Australia understands the importance of balancing the need for clean, renewable energy whilst protecting Tasmania’s unique wildlife, particularly the endangered Tasmanian Wedge-tailed Eagle,” Goldwind Managing Director of the the Cattle Hill Wind Farm John Titchen said in a statement on Tuesday.

“Goldwind is very pleased to have partnered with Identiflight to apply this recently developed innovative technology to reduce impacts on the Tasmanian Wedge-tailed Eagle.”

“We look forward to sharing the results of this first Australian trial following installation.”

Although still in the construction phase, the wind farm’s 48 turbines are expected to power approximately 63,500 homes, representing around 10 percent of the state’s population.