Masdar harnesses power of AI to protect birds of prey at Zarafshan wind farm

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Wind farms can represent a real risk for birds of prey but thanks to the power of AI, Masdar is helping to protect them against the risk of colliding with turbines at the 500MW Zarafshan wind farm in Uzbekistan.

In the largest implementation of AI into biodiversity protection at a wind farm anywhere in the world, Masdar has deployed Identiflight technology to detect birds of prey flying in the area around the wind turbines.

The system sends a signal to the operation centre to shut the wind turbine down if a bird is flying in the area and there is a risk of collision. Once the bird has left the area, it turns the turbine back on.

As one of the world’s leading clean energy companies, Masdar places a very high value on developing renewable energy projects that take into account minimisation of the impact to biodiversity.

There are around 110 wind turbines installed at the Zarafshan Wind Farm, with over 70 Identiflight towers deployed across the project to monitor resident and migratory species in the vicinity.

Birds of prey, which provide critical ecosystem services and are key for healthy habitats around the world, are particularly vulnerable due to their low lifespans, low reproductive rates, and general scarcity. They are also high risk due to their migratory habits.