Applying novel approaches through innovative programs
AWWI’s work is built on innovation, collaboration, and sound science. Through AWWI’s unique collaborative structure, we engage with a diversity of experts to develop innovative approaches and independent results. These results make it possible to understand risk and develop effective solutions for wind energy and wildlife conservation.
Our Approach
Study: Assessing Risk
AWWI provides new insights for understanding wind energy’s risks to wildlife through tools including new risk models and the American Wind Wildlife Information Center (AWWIC) post-construction fatality database. By using big data, these tools are reducing uncertainty and informing decision-making to help improve conservation.
Solve: Developing Solutions
AWWI’s work advances cost-effective, scientifically-accepted solutions for wind energy and wildlife. Cutting edge technologies are making it possible to minimize impacts, and collaborative research identifies and addresses priorities through development of best management practices.
Act: Enabling Application
Through synthesis and outreach on results, AWWI works with collaborators to ensure solutions are used to achieve conservation outcomes.
Research Priorities
AWWI worked with a diversity of experts to identify priority areas of research where we will focus in 2018 through 2020 to achieve key outcomes for wind energy development and wildlife conservation.
AWWI’s National Wind Wildlife Research Plan details these priorities, and highlights further work needed to ensure wind energy achieves its full conservation potential.
Our Programs
AWWIC
The American Wind Wildlife Information Center (AWWIC), the most comprehensive post-construction fatality database in the U.S., is helping us understand collision fatality risk for birds and bats.
Technology Innovation
The Technology Innovation program is a catalyst and expert forum for the development and evaluation of advanced technologies that are making it possible to minimize impacts.
Mitigation
Collaborative research informs siting and best practices for avoiding and minimizing impacts. AWWI is developing new compensatory mitigation options for when impacts are unavoidable.
Results
Golden Eagle By ahisgett, Flickr, licensed under CC BY 2.0
DTBird Technology Evaluation
This pilot test of DTBird, a technology designed to detect and deter birds, evaluated its ability to detect and deter large raptors and reduce the risk of collisions of these birds with wind turbines.
Tony Hisgett, Flickr, licensed under CC BY 2.0
Compensatory Mitigation for Golden Eagles: Reducing Vehicle Collisions
AWWI and collaborators developed a model that estimates the number of golden eagles that can be saved by removing roadkill to reduce eagle fatalities from vehicle collisions.
Tri-colored bat by USFWS, Flickr, licensed under CC BY 2.0
AWWIC Bat Technical Report
AWWIC is the most comprehensive post-construction fatality database in the U.S., incorporating both public and confidential data. It is allowing us to analyze fatality data for different species across multiple sites and regions to better understand wind’s risks to wildlife. This first report summarizes bat fatality data and sets the foundation for understanding which species are at risk, where, and why.