Since January 2022, Norwegian technology company Spoor has been tracking bird activity at the Marine Energy Test Center’s offshore wind turbine, located about ten kilometers off Karmøy, Norway. Using advanced monitoring technology, Spoor documented over 21,000 bird passages near the turbine — all without a single collision.
Mapping bird activity: a first for Norway
The METCenter study is Norway’s first in-depth analysis of bird interactions with offshore wind turbines and provides valuable insights into how bird species behave around floating wind turbines. In October 2023, Spoor upgraded the equipment to improve detection accuracy, increasing the system’s ability to detect even small interactions. Despite these upgrades, no bird collisions were recorded, which Norwegian Offshore Wind says is an encouraging sign for the future of Norway’s renewable energy sector.
Advancements in detection and data collection
With the METCenter’s findings, Spoor and its partners have developed a rich dataset that will be instrumental in future offshore wind projects. The detailed data will help researchers understand how to monitor and minimize ecological impacts more effectively. Spoor’s CEO, Ask Helseth, noted that METCenter provided an ideal environment for testing and refining their AI-driven detection systems.
“Data collected at METCentre, under the mandate of the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate, has provided valuable insight into how birds interact with floating offshore wind turbines. METCentre also proves to be an ideal place for the development of new wind technology, as it gives us a unique opportunity to verify and improve our AI solutions in real-world conditions,” Helseth said.
A hub for floating wind technology
METCenter plays a key role in advancing new offshore wind technologies. With authorization to install up to seven floating platforms, METCenter is involved in multiple research initiatives that focus on harmonizing renewable energy with marine ecosystems. Recently, METCenter signed contracts with three companies to test innovative technology aimed at reducing costs and improving efficiency, including the use of 15+ MW turbines — a major step forward in scaling floating wind projects.
