The Biodiversity Consultancy at the Conference for Wind Energy and Wildlife Impacts 2025

The Biodiversity Consultancy had the pleasure of attending the eighth annual Conference for Wind Energy and Wildlife Impacts (CWW 2025) last week. The event brought together renewable energy developers, investors, regulators, practitioners, researchers, and NGOs from across the globe to share the latest knowledge at the critical intersection of renewable energy and biodiversity. 

With TBC’s client projects and research contributing notably to various discussions, our team — Aonghais Cook, David Wilson, Ricardo Tomé, and Ben Jobson — played an active role throughout the conference, organising and moderating the: 

• ‘Birds & Offshore Wind - Collision risks’ and ‘Birds & Offshore Wind - Displacement’ workshops 

• ‘Offshore Wind Collision Detection Systems - State of the Science’ special session 

• ‘Offshore Wind in Emerging Markets’ special session 

• ‘Shutdown on Demand for Birds: The State of Science of Observer-led and Automated Shutdown on Demand’ panel discussion 

Key Insights 

International collaboration is driving change and innovation 

A strong theme of CWW conferences is the value of collaboration, not only among researchers and practitioners, but also between developers and financiers. Increasingly, the industry recognises that working together leads to better outcomes for both biodiversity and energy security. 

Examples include partnerships between developers in Scotland to advance monitoring, our Memorandum of Understanding with Spoor, and ongoing collaborations in the US with the Biodiversity Research Institute, sparked through forums like CWW. Meeting with leading renewable energy developers, investors, and NGOs reinforced how shared approaches are accelerating innovation and practical solutions. 

Detection technologies as an evolving solution

Several presentations and conversations highlighted the growing consensus on what the major risks and opportunities associated with renewable development and biodiversity conservation. The importance of research and validation of impacts and effective use of mitigation technologies in emerging markets was clear. Shut-Down-On-Demand (SDODs), specifically, has become widely recognised as one of the most efficient mitigation measures to minimise bird collisions at wind farms - with our team having first-hand experience from TBC’s own projects. Rapid progress in camera-based detection systems, with increasing capabilities for detection and species identification, continues to evolve available solutions. 

However, many developers remain uncertain about when, how and which technologies are appropriate to implement. To learn more about these issues, contact TBC for advice or to join our industry working group on the topic.  

Frameworks and research gaps are opportunities and sector challenges 

An evident challenge is that, while the mitigation hierarchy is widely referenced, there is a lack of clarity around how and why to set impact thresholds. This gap risks delaying or undermining effective application. 

There is also a risk of over-applying lessons from Europe and North America to other geographical contexts. Much of what is known from the North Sea, for example, may not translate directly to tropical waters in Brazil or the Philippines, where oceanographic and bathymetric conditions and species sensitivities differ significantly. Developers must consider where knowledge can be transferred with confidence, and where new, context-specific research is essential. 

Looking ahead for wind energy development

CWW 2025 underscored the importance of shared learning, technological innovation, and evolving best practice for reconciling renewable energy growth with biodiversity protection. With the next CWW planned to take place in Spain nearby one of the world’s largest bottlenecks for soaring bird migration, TBC looks forward to once again playing a significant role in shaping the conference and the work presented. 

At TBC, we specialise in advancing science-based, practical solutions — from supporting site developers with tailored impact assessments, to driving innovation in monitoring and mitigation technology. Find out more about our services and how we work with renewable energy here. 

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