Effectiveness of an artificial intelligence-based system to curtail wind turbines to reduce eagle collisions
Operating wind-power projects often includes protecting volant wildlife. One method for doing this uses an automated system to detect, identify (through use of artificial intelligence; AI), track animals (targets) and curtail turbines when risk of a collision is high. However, assessments of the eff...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2023-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9879396/?tool=EBI |
| _version_ | 1811176068802936832 |
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| author | Adam E. Duerr Amy E. Parsons Laura R. Nagy Michael J. Kuehn Peter H. Bloom |
| author_facet | Adam E. Duerr Amy E. Parsons Laura R. Nagy Michael J. Kuehn Peter H. Bloom |
| author_sort | Adam E. Duerr |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Operating wind-power projects often includes protecting volant wildlife. One method for doing this uses an automated system to detect, identify (through use of artificial intelligence; AI), track animals (targets) and curtail turbines when risk of a collision is high. However, assessments of the effectiveness, in terms of identification accuracy and subsequent turbine curtailment of such systems are lacking. Over 1 year, we assessed such an automated system installed at a wind project in California, USA to determine its identification accuracy and rates at which "virtual” curtailments were ordered (without slowing turbines), for eagles (intended targets) and non-eagle targets. The system correctly identified 77% of eagles and 85% of non-eagles. Curtailment orders occurred 6 times more frequently for non-eagle targets (5,439) than for eagle targets (850). Greater abundance of common ravens that were misidentified as eagles influenced the effectiveness of the system by greatly increasing unintended curtailment orders. The balance between costs (price of the IdentiFlight system, reduced energy generation, turbine wear and maintenance) and benefits (reduced collisions between intended target species and turbines) may depend upon the biological setting, speed at which operators can curtail turbines, and the objectives of the operator when considering the IdentiFlight system. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T19:46:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2bd19c39c3e24b7ca32e753264a1f43d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T19:46:03Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-2bd19c39c3e24b7ca32e753264a1f43d2023-01-29T05:31:05ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032023-01-01181Effectiveness of an artificial intelligence-based system to curtail wind turbines to reduce eagle collisionsAdam E. DuerrAmy E. ParsonsLaura R. NagyMichael J. KuehnPeter H. BloomOperating wind-power projects often includes protecting volant wildlife. One method for doing this uses an automated system to detect, identify (through use of artificial intelligence; AI), track animals (targets) and curtail turbines when risk of a collision is high. However, assessments of the effectiveness, in terms of identification accuracy and subsequent turbine curtailment of such systems are lacking. Over 1 year, we assessed such an automated system installed at a wind project in California, USA to determine its identification accuracy and rates at which "virtual” curtailments were ordered (without slowing turbines), for eagles (intended targets) and non-eagle targets. The system correctly identified 77% of eagles and 85% of non-eagles. Curtailment orders occurred 6 times more frequently for non-eagle targets (5,439) than for eagle targets (850). Greater abundance of common ravens that were misidentified as eagles influenced the effectiveness of the system by greatly increasing unintended curtailment orders. The balance between costs (price of the IdentiFlight system, reduced energy generation, turbine wear and maintenance) and benefits (reduced collisions between intended target species and turbines) may depend upon the biological setting, speed at which operators can curtail turbines, and the objectives of the operator when considering the IdentiFlight system.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9879396/?tool=EBI |
| spellingShingle | Adam E. Duerr Amy E. Parsons Laura R. Nagy Michael J. Kuehn Peter H. Bloom Effectiveness of an artificial intelligence-based system to curtail wind turbines to reduce eagle collisions PLoS ONE |
| title | Effectiveness of an artificial intelligence-based system to curtail wind turbines to reduce eagle collisions |
| title_full | Effectiveness of an artificial intelligence-based system to curtail wind turbines to reduce eagle collisions |
| title_fullStr | Effectiveness of an artificial intelligence-based system to curtail wind turbines to reduce eagle collisions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effectiveness of an artificial intelligence-based system to curtail wind turbines to reduce eagle collisions |
| title_short | Effectiveness of an artificial intelligence-based system to curtail wind turbines to reduce eagle collisions |
| title_sort | effectiveness of an artificial intelligence based system to curtail wind turbines to reduce eagle collisions |
| url | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9879396/?tool=EBI |
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