The first autonomous collision avoidance system in Greece

In Greece, in 2013, the first autonomous video surveillance system was installed in a wind farm with 34 wind turbines on Mount Varnountas, in Florina, Northern Greece. The wind farm has been built at an altitude of between 1,800m - 2,000m and consists of 34 wind turbines with a power of 850 kW each. Most of the wind farm is installed on the border of NATURA 2000 areas.
The species of interest are the Dalmatian pelican and the Great white pelican, which breed in the Prespa National Park. The birds cross Mount Varnountas during their daily migrations between the colony and other lakes in northern Greece, which they use as feeding grounds.
A special ornithological study was carried out to assess the sensitivity of the area and to determine the location of the mitigation system for the wind farm. In order to better clarify the movements of birds over Mount Varnountas, an ornithological radar was used and bird movements in the wider area were monitored.
The impact mitigation system was installed on nine (9) wind turbines to cover the entire wind farm and included wind turbine warning, prevention and shutdown units.
During their operation period, ornithological recordings were carried out to investigate the use of the area by birds, the reaction of birds to deterrence sounds, as well as the efficiency of the system.
Public authorities played a pivotal role in ensuring compliance with environmental regulations and in collaborating with stakeholders.