Paint it Black: Does Painting Wind Turbine Blades Increase Visibility to Reduce Bird Fatalities?

In this publication synthesis, AWWI summarizes the results from a 2020 study in Norway that investigated the effect of painting one of three blades black on a sample of wind turbines as a strategy to increase the visibility of rotating blades to birds thereby reducing bird collision fatalities at wind energy facilities. This study yielded promising results; however, additional studies should be conducted to determine whether blade painting offers an effective solution for reducing bird fatalities at operational wind energy facilities. The Research Brief was developed with support from NREL and U.S. DOE.