Scientists make revolutionary breakthrough with tool that could solve major issue with offshore wind farms: 'Can help us make more informed decisions'

Yahoo

14-05-2025

The clean energy revolution has a collision problem. As wind farms rapidly multiply along U.K. coastlines, seabirds are paying the price, flying into turbine blades or losing access to the feeding zones they depend on for survival.
Now, a team of researchers at the University of Glasgow has designed a powerful tool to fix that. They have created the first model that can accurately map where seabird colonies forage without relying on satellite tags or GPS trackers, Oceanographic reported.
That's a major shift, especially given that, until now, developers haven't had a reliable way to map seabird movements, which makes it harder to avoid disrupting their routes.
This new tool could change that, improving how we plan offshore wind projects and making it easier to strike a balance between renewable energy progress and biodiversity protection.
"Accurate estimation of the impacts of offshore wind farms and other stressors on seabirds can help us make more informed decisions about offshore wind farm plans and protect the species living around our coasts," said lead author Holly Niven, a doctoral candidate in the School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine.
Published in Methods in Ecology and Evolution, the model was tested using data from eight northern gannet colonies. It outperformed existing industry standards by a wide margin, predicting bird movements with 73% accuracy, compared to just 41% and 31% for current methods. Those outdated tools often miscalculate risk, leading to unnecessary project cancellations or worse, wind farms built in high-density bird zones.
"Many seabird colonies are located at remote islands or cliffs that make GPS tracking studies extremely challenging or even impossible," co-author Jana Jeglinski explained. "Our method can predict biologically realistic home ranges and exposure for such inaccessible colonies."
With the United Kingdom looking to double its onshore wind and quadruple offshore wind capacity by 2030, this tool couldn't come at a better time. If that rollout is going to happen responsibly, it and other instruments will be essential — not just for birds, but also for all species (humans included) that rely on healthy ecosystems.
Beyond seabirds, the researchers believe this model could be adapted to protect other colony-based species such as bats, seals, and even pollinators. As demand for clean power grows, solutions will be required to make the green transition safer, smarter, and more sustainable for both humans and wildlife.
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