Boulder Imaging has partnered with Roc Conservation Tech to expand IdentiFlight’s global reach and enhance wildlife conservation within the wind energy sector.
With a shared commitment to bridging technology and environmental stewardship, Roc Conservation Tech will play a pivotal role in growing IdentiFlight’s presence and impact in South Africa’s renewable energy industry.
On the brink of a renewable energy revolution in South Africa, Roc Conservation Tech is positioned to assist as the country enters this transformational era by specialising in leveraging data science and engineering for conservation, with expertise in bird detection systems, conservation drones, and environmental monitoring. The collaboration between the two companies will promote the IdentiFlight mission to help mitigate the cumulative impacts of wind energy on biodiversity. The IdentiFlight system operates with 99% accuracy and reduces bird fatalities in wind farms by more than 85% in 12 countries across five continents.
Dirk van der Walt, Founder of Roc Conservation Tech, commented: “The need for sustainable energy solutions comes with the responsibility to protect biodiversity. South Africa’s wind energy sector is rapidly growing, yet it is home to diverse and vulnerable bird populations that require advanced conservation measures. Partnering with IdentiFlight to deploy these systems in South African wind farms will help ensure that renewable energy expansion in the region is both responsible and sustainable.”
Don Mills, President and COO of Boulder Imaging, added: “Strong partnerships are essential to Boulder Imaging’s mission and IdentiFlight’s continued growth. By collaborating with Roc Conservation Tech, we are bringing local expertise and resources to the South African market, enhancing our ability to efficiently and responsively serve customers.”
Developed by Boulder Imaging, IdentiFlight is a state-of-the-art bird detection and informed curtailment system designed to mitigate the impact of wind energy projects on bird populations. Using advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and optical sensor technology, IdentiFlight detects, classifies, and quantifies risks to sensitive bird species such as the Cape vulture, martial eagle, Verreaux’s eagle, and blue crane. If collision risk meets a predetermined threshold, IdentiFlight provides temporary shut down on demand to impacted wind turbines – optimising energy production while minimising environmental impact.
The first South African IdentiFlight station was installed in June 2024. The system has already been trained to detect and classify more than 20 unique species with over 98% accuracy, including Cape vulture, African marsh harrier, and African fish eagle.
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Read the article online at: https://www.energyglobal.com/wind/04042025/identiflight-and-roc-conservation-tech-partner-to-advance-bird-conservation-with-artificial-intelligence/
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