Bioseco is a technological R&D company that designs, develops, and produces solutions, from the initial concept to ready-for-implementation, which are scientifically validated and evaluated in real-world conditions. Specializes in creating innovative devices for automatic bird detection in the airspace of wind farms and airports. The company collaborates closely with scientists and wind farm operators, constantly improving its products. Interest in Bioseco’s offer increases as demand for wind energy grows, and the company doubles the number of systems sold year by year.
The company protects biodiversity while enabling the development of sustainable wind energy in places where the creation of turbines is difficult due to applicable legal requirements. This allows them to reduce bird mortality and, at the same time, protect entrepreneurs exposed to additional losses related to stopping wind turbines. Bioseco strives to ensure that their risk prevention strategies are balanced, and that detention management is conducted proactively.
Easy Engineering: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
The products offered by the company can be characterized as:
- Bird Protection System (BPS)
A system for protecting birds on wind farms, available on the market in 3 versions. The system prevents collisions between birds and wind turbine blades, which enables effective reduction of the risk of collision of large birds and significantly reduces their mortality. The system detects and monitors birds in the airspace around the turbine. The system detects birds and analyzes their size, flightpath. If the birds come within a predetermined distance of the turbine, the system starts sending out bright strobe lights to deter them of the danger ahead. Additional beeps (sirens or other warning sounds) are triggered as the birds continue to fly toward the turbine. The system can additionally shut down or slow down the turbine if the birds’ flight trajectory continues to collide with the turbine blades. The system collects detailed records of each event for later analysis. It provides complete data and statistical tools for users. The system has a modular design that allows configuration according to the customer’s needs.
The immediate goal of our system is to protect birds at wind farm sites, with a particular focus on endangered species. This is made possible through the use of cutting-edge technologies, including the Internet of Things (IoT), machine learning and the concept of distributed computing, among others.
The company is starting R&D work directed at adapting the protection system on wind farms to the needs of offshore wind power.
- Airport Fauna Monitoring System (AFMS)
A stand-alone system for reducing aircraft collisions with birds and mammals, which is in the process of being rolled out to the market. D New features and the resulting benefits and parameters to build a competitive advantage for the product are primarily:
- the ability to locate and track a detected object in the airport airspace, allowing for real-time estimation of the probability of collision;
- minimum number of false detections to allow for automation of the monitoring process;
- modularity of the solution allowing to cover any area of the airport with monitoring and guaranteeing competitive pricing of the system;
- supplementary systems for detection of terrestrial mammals and automatic sound deterrents to guarantee full coverage of all airports’ needs to eliminate environmental threats.
E.E: What’s the news about new products?
We are currently working on a system for offshore wind farms, where we plan to lead R&D project. However, already commercialized products are still in the process of constant modernization. Algorithms are updated by expanding databases, which leads to further machine learning and system improvement. In addition, we observe the development of cameras and microprocessors in order to increase the computing capacity of the system. We also started working on the multi-criteria collision recognition model, i.e., adding other parameters to the system, such as wind speed, when a bird is detected.
Regarding the Offshore BPS system, its functional basis will be the fusion of information from independent, spatially distributed multi-sensor systems, which may include one or more radars/lidars/cameras (video/operating in the infrared/thermal imaging range operating in mono/ stereo vision modes)/sensitive directional microphones. Sensors will create a network of intelligent modules enabling multi-level information exchange and monitoring in the micro, meso and macro areas. The system will be built on an open IoT architecture, which will allow it to be easily and affordably customized to the size of wind farms and environmental and legislative requirements.
E.E: What are the ranges of products?
Our products consist of Onshore BPS (Bird Protection System), airport AMFS (Airport Fauna Monitoring System) and currently in-progress Offshore BPS. All products are designed in UDD (User-Driven-Design) approach, so in every single project we are focusing on Clients needs and requirements, to ensure efficient and validated minimalization of risk for collision.
E.E: At what stage is the market where you are currently active?
The market is currently in the development stage. There are a lot of technological changes as well as changes within the law. Awareness of the impact wind turbines have on biodiversity and sustainable development has increased throughout the years. Thus, the demand for products, such as those produced by Bioseco, is growing.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
Changes in the industry are primarily technical changes, e.g., in turbine sizes, which are currently on the rise. However, we are observing a clear increase in wind energy as an energy source. Currently, our system is based on video cameras. Usage of the stereo vision was the innovation, that differ us from other bird detection system suppliers. The BPS system, based on AI, can detect birds from a distance of 450–700 m, estimate the distance and height, and classify their size, which minimizes the activation of visual and sound deterrent systems and turbine stops, ensuring a prominent level of bird protection. The system uses Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, machine learning, and the concept of distributed computing. Bioseco adapts the system’s operation to the client. We have been developing the system itself and its application continuously, including the transfer of attention also to offshore activities. The technological and technical aspects of the systems themselves are also constantly evolving, e.g., the development of cameras or microprocessors, as well as the usage of AI itself.
E.E: What are the most innovative products marketed?
As a R&D technological company, all scope of offer we supply shall be described as innovative. The most innovative attribute of Bioseco is open approach, based on R&D and scientific results and our aim to constant improvement of our technology.
E.E: What estimations do you have for 2023?
Changes in legal requirements regarding wind turbines create demand for bird protection systems. In connection with the liberalization of the Distance Act in Poland, the country of origin will be the next direction of development. What’s more, the current increase in interest in offshore operations allows us to work on systems for offshore wind farms. In addition, to the return to the biodiversity dialogue, bird protection systems will also gain popularity.