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PowerLines4Birds: how E-REDES is protecting birds for the energy transition
At E-REDES, we believe the energy transition is only truly complete when it goes hand in hand with the preservation of ecosystems. The coexistence of electrical infrastructure and wildlife is one of the major challenges of modern environmental management. PowerLines4Birds was created to meet this challenge: a four-year commitment to make the power grid safer for biodiversity, particularly birdlife.
Linha elétrica equipada com sinalização visual e isolamento de componentes elétricos
What is the PowerLines4Birds project and why is it so urgent? 

PowerLines4Birds is a project co-funded by the European Union’s LIFE Programme that aims to mitigate the impact of power lines on birdlife. 

The transition to cleaner energy requires an increasingly extensive and resilient electricity network. However, the expansion of the grid cannot ignore its impact on the ecosystem. Seven threatened species frequently use electricity poles as perching sites or fly at the same altitude as power lines, increasing the risk of collision and electrocution. 

PowerLines4Birds was therefore created to address precisely this challenge: to ensure that the modernisation of the national electricity grid actively contributes to the protection of biodiversity, with a particular focus on birdlife. 

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Threatened species
E-REDES’ role in the sustainable management of the grid 

As the operator of the national distribution grid, E-REDES plays a central role in land management. In this context, the sustainable management of the electricity grid is a fundamental pillar. By investing in infrastructure that is safer for birds, we also improve service quality by reducing outages caused by wildlife-related incidents and increasing the reliability of the entire system.  

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Trabalhador E-REDES a instalar dispositivos de sinalização numa linha elétrica

Within the scope of the project, our work includes:

  • Continuous monitoring: identifying critical areas of interaction between birds and power lines; 
  • Implementation of solutions: installing protective devices on live grid components and bird flight diverters or other signalling devices;   
  • Innovation: exploring new materials and methods to accelerate the protection of birdlife.
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Key objectives and benefits 

PowerLines4Birds focuses on delivering tangible results for nature and for communities:

  • Ensuring safe breeding and feeding areas with fewer dangerous interactions with power lines; 

  • Promoting a significant reduction in bird mortality caused by interactions with power lines in Natura 2000 Special Protection Areas and adjacent areas, through the broader implementation of existing good practices; 

  • Testing new methodologies to improve the efficiency of bird mortality mitigation measures, which may later be applied to new high-voltage lines at national level; 

  • Increasing the capacity to identify and predict mortality hotspots on power lines; 

  • Promoting capacity building within electricity companies and government bodies, while increasing incident reporting by professionals; 

  • Improving grid governance and sustainability in support of nature conservation and biodiversity protection; 

  • Promoting networking with other projects, thereby combining conservation efforts with initiatives addressing this and other conservation threats affecting the target bird species. 

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Action on the ground: discover the project in video 

In the field, our teams work at height to install visual signalling devices and state-of-the-art insulation solutions. To date, 358 km of power lines have already been equipped with anti-electrocution devices and anti-collision markers. These measures help birds identify cables from a distance, preventing collisions and creating safer perching conditions.

Watch the video to see up close how our teams and partners work every day to make power lines safer for everyone. 

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European Projects