Selective Shutdowns Cut Bird Deaths: Study finds 92.8% drop in vulture collisions; power loss under 0.51%

In southern Spain, researchers investigated a practical way to reduce these collisions: temporarily stopping selected turbines when birds were flying close enough to be at risk. Over 13 years, the approach was associated with a 92.8% reduction in recorded Griffon vulture fatalities, while estimated losses in electricity generation remained below 0.51%. According to a 2022 study published in Global Ecology and Conservation , a selective turbine shutdown protocol implemented across 20 wind farms in the Cádiz area of southern Spain was associated with a 92.8% reduction in recorded Griffon vulture fatalities over 13 years. The approach involved temporarily stopping individual turbines when birds approached at risk of collision, allowing the remaining turbines to continue operating.

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