The over-equipment of the Bornes Wind Power Plant is, together with the Candeeiros Wind Power Plant, another prime example on how Adaptive Management can be applied to mitigate the negative impacts of wind energy developments on biodiversity.
Adaptative Management implies that the approach to biodiversity management must be a learn-by-doing process, a process where the results of monitoring must be incorporated on the management actions to be taken to safeguard biodiversity.
In fact, post-construction fatality monitoring in Bornes identified significant bat mortality at the new turbines, with two of them being particularly impactful.
Curtailment measures were specifically implemented on these two turbines also accompanied by a three-year study of bat activity at height, to refine the curtailment plan taken to mitigate bat mortality. As a result, the observed bat mortality was successfully reduced to zero.
Still, starting in 2023, one of the turbines transitioned from curtailment to an innovative deterrent system, a first in Portugal. This proof-of-concept aims to continue mitigating bat mortality while minimizing the wind power plant production losses, with very promising results so far.
