Latvian companies developing innovative ‘birds and wind power’ project / Article

Latvian companies LMT and AS Latvenergo have launched a joint research project to develop technology for automatically detecting and identifying birds near wind turbine farms, aiming to reduce bird mortality and promote sustainable energy development.

Bird Detection System Development

The project will combine radar and high-resolution camera capabilities to track bird location, species, and flight trajectory in real-time. If a collision risk is detected, the system is designed to signal the turbine to stop, protecting vulnerable species like storks, eagles, buzzards, cranes, swans, and geese.

“Latvia’s innovation ecosystem is growing stronger, and this project is an excellent example of how technology can help protect nature while promoting sustainable energy production,” said Juris Binde, President of the LMT Group. “We are proud that the LMT Group, together with Latvenergo, is creating a solution of significance on both a Latvian and European scale. Similar existing solutions involve only video integration, therefore, this new approach may have significant export potential.”

AI algorithms will be used to analyze video and radar data, enabling accurate bird monitoring even in challenging conditions like nighttime or poor weather. This will reduce the need for visual observations by ornithologists and assist wind farm developers in meeting EU and Latvian environmental requirements. The system’s detectable species list will be tailored to each location based on ornithologist recommendations.

Mārtiņš Čakste, Chairman of the Board of AS Latvenergo, stated, “Wind energy development is impossible without care for biodiversity and innovation. The wind farms developed by Latvenergo are the most modern in the Baltics, and we have always emphasized: we treat the environment in which we operate with respect. In seeking the best solutions for the synergy of nature and technology, this is an opportunity for Latvian-born innovation to protect birds and ensure the sustainability of wind farms both in our country and on an international scale.”

The project began in October 2025 and is expected to be completed in the second half of 2027. The total budget exceeds 400,000 euros, with funding partially provided by the EU Recovery Fund.