In the beautiful Brijuni Islands of Croatia, on a quiet shoreline against glistening waters, Robin's MAX® radar is rotating hypnotically. Against the slow hum of the breeze and the faint symphony of birds chirping, it's working constantly to collect valuable insight about the world around it. The data it's gathering will be used to help preserve the rich and diverse scene it sits within. 

Striking the Balance to Produce and Protect

Harnessing sustainable energy has never been more important. Governments across the globe are focusing seriously on the issue before the effects of climate change become irreversible. 

The world is looking to different energy sources to mitigate the growing problem of global warming and secure a future for generations to come. Wind energy is at the forefront of this green revolution, captured by onshore and offshore wind farms everywhere.

But herein lies another serious challenge: protecting wildlife from the adverse effects of these sites. 

Wind farms are a powerful and critical source of renewable energy, but they can have a detrimental impact on surrounding wildlife. Especially birds and bats. Habitat loss, disruption to important migratory routes and collision with turbines can make windfarms a serious threat to the natural world. 

Croatia has exceptional potential in the development of renewable energy sources like wind. And on October 20, 2021, the first workshop was held to discuss this critical topic; how to balance green energy production with adverse effects on nature? 

Radar Technology – Advanced Methods of Monitoring Birds and Bats in the Development of Wind Farms

Organised by OIKON – Institute of Applied Ecology, Robin Radar Systems, Supernatural and the Renewable Energy Sources of Croatia, the workshop was the first of its kind. 

The workshop was held under the auspices of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, and was attended by nature protection experts, developers and investors in renewable energy sources, licensed environmental consulting companies and specialized NGOs.

All were keen to discuss, share and learn more about innovative methods to balance wind farms with wildlife preservation. Robin's Sibylle Giraud presented advanced methods of protecting wildlife using radar technology. Radar has not yet been used in this way in Croatia, although it is widespread in countries with a developed renewable energy sources sector.

Radar Sheds Light on Wind Farms and Bats 

The main challenge in the development and operation of wind farms is the possible loss of birds and bats that collide with rotating turbine blades. 

Traditionally, the monitoring of birds is carried out by periodic observation of their movement via several methods but, namely, human observation. Nocturnal bats are monitored by recording their sound with bio-acoustic technology, which, while critical in gathering insight, can be limited in providing a full picture. 

This is especially relevant as research shows that bats could be significantly more affected by wind farms than birds. But gleaning more detailed data is challenging; bats are active at night in darkness, are much smaller and can move more erratically. Bio-acoustic technology works at a relatively short range. 

Robin's bird detection radar, MAX®, is purpose-built to gather long term, detailed data. It detecs and tracks birds day and night, 24/7. Recently, the radar was used to test and advance research on bats on the Brijuni Islands, as it was deployed to monitor birds there, as well as bat activity. Applying full 3D radar on bat research had not been sufficiently developed before this.

“With MAX®, we managed to determine the species of bats that move in the area and their flight patterns. This is very valuable data – important not only for this area and for Croatia, but also for the development of the entire system,” said Mirna Mazija, CEO of Supernatural. “I believe that this will be a global idea that we will continue to develop.”

Dalibor Hatić, director of Oikon – Institute of Applied Ecology, added: “The complete solution lies in combining traditional monitoring methods with new tools and advanced data analysis, which results in much better environmental impact assessment. It also means more effective control and implementation of mitigation measures.

“The use of radar technology will enable better planning and use of Croatia’s wind energy potential, providing greater economic benefits and stability of green energy supply while protecting nature more effectively.”

Forging A Sustainable World 

Maja Pokrovac, director of the association “Renewable Energy Sources of Croatia”, added: “For the first time at this conference, we join the green goals of Croatia and the EU and the need to protect the environment and nature. The technology that we presented for the first time in Croatia today does just that, and enables us to make the synergy better.”

Aljoša Duplić emphasized that our task is not only to preserve but to improve nature and biodiversity. The Director of the Institute for Environment and Nature at the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development said: “We, as a society, must respond to the challenge of transformation into, not just a low-carbon society, but a climate-neutral society. The European Commission has set clear and rather ambitious goals and we as a continent want to be global leaders on the road to carbon and climate neutrality. One of the answers to this quest is renewable energy sources”.

Experts from Finland and Denmark shared experiences using Robin's radar technology in practice, with case studies highlighted in Suomen Hyötytuuli Oy.

Sibylle Giraud from Robin Radar Systems concluded with: “I am extremely pleased to be able to come here today, to this beautiful island, and present the possibilities of this new technology. Technology, that helps find solutions in achieving green energy and protecting nature at the same time.”