Seminar on Shut-Down on Demand Systems (SDOD)
APREN – the Portuguese Renewable Energy Association brought together dozens of representatives from public entities, developers, consultants, and technology suppliers for a seminar on Shut-Down on Demand Systems (SDOD) and their role in preventing bird collisions in wind farms. The initiative was supported by the environmental consultancy BioInsight and took place at Culturgest, in Lisbon.
The opening session featured Nuno Banza, President of the Board of Directors of the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF), and Maria do Carmo Figueira, Director of the Environmental Assessment Department at the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA), both of whom praised the initiative.
Nuno Banza highlighted the importance of reaching consensus among all parties and striving for the best possible outcomes, stressing the value of past, present, and future technological developments in addressing the various challenges faced by the sector. Maria do Carmo Figueira emphasized that all stakeholders share the same goals — established at the European level through the National Energy and Climate Plan 2030 — and that continuous dialogue and collaboration among all are essential to make the energy transition happen, reconciling renewable projects and natural values through technological development.
According to Susana Serôdio, APREN’s Policy and Market Intelligence Coordinator, “This seminar clearly demonstrates the maturity of the renewable energy sector in Portugal — a sector that no longer focuses solely on meeting environmental requirements, but develops projects that integrate technological solutions to directly address challenges and promote coexistence between projects and the preservation of local values. Technological innovation, scientific knowledge, and practical experience are key tools in achieving this ambition, alongside dialogue and cooperation among all stakeholders — developers, consultants, authorities, and public institutions.”
SDOD systems (Shut-Down on Demand) are effective tools for mitigating the risk of bird collisions with wind turbines, helping to prevent mortality and enhance the compatibility between renewable energy production and nature conservation. These systems use optical technology and artificial intelligence to detect birds in real time and trigger the automatic, temporary shutdown of turbines, demonstrating how technological innovation can play a decisive role in protecting biodiversity.
Throughout the event, entities such as Galp, WeLink, Zefiro Partners, and Bioseco shared practical experiences and case studies, reinforcing the role of technology and artificial intelligence in reducing bird mortality risk and optimizing energy production.
The initiative also included a participatory workshop involving industry stakeholders, where technical and institutional challenges were discussed, and priorities were identified for integrating SDOD systems into broader biodiversity mitigation and net-gain strategies.
The event presentations are available below.