(Reprinted with permission of the American
Wind Energy Association)
Recent blanket action by some agencies in the U.S. government effectively
halts development of many pending wind energy facilities and has
led to a de facto moratorium on the development of new clean, renewable
domestic wind energy resources in some parts of the United States.
While President Bush recently recognized the value of wind energy
to the nation’s energy future, noting that it could contribute
20% of U.S. electricity supply, this action places a roadblock squarely
in the path of the wind industry as it seeks to realize that goal.
AWEA (American Wind Energy Association) recognizes
and respects the paramount importance of any concerns relating to
national security, and supports resolving such concerns as quickly
as possible. We also believe that rapid development of domestic
energy resources it vital to national security. Further, solutions
to most wind farm/radar interaction issues exist and already in
use at many military sites, both in the U.S. and elsewhere around
the world, including the U.S. Navy base at Guantanamo and the U.S.
Air Force facility on Ascension Island in the south Atlantic, both
of which obtain part of their electricity supplies from wind installations.
Background
At some sites, wind turbines can interfere with civilian or military
radar. However, there are solutions that can be implemented. Andy
study of wind energy’s effects on radar should also explore
these solutions.
The National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal Year 2006, signed
into law January 6, 2006 (PL 109-163), contained a last-minute amendment
inserted by Senator John Warner (R-VA) required the Department of
Defense to study and report on the effects of wind projects on military
readiness.
SEC. 358. REPORT ON EFFECTS OF
WINDMILL FARMS ON MILITARY READINESS.
Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this
Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committee on Armed
Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the
House of Representatives a report on the effects of windmill farms
on military readiness, including an assessment of the effects on
the operations of military radar installations of the proximity
of windmill farms to such installations and of technologies that
could mitigate any adverse effects on military operations identified.
Concerns about impacts led the Department of Defense (DOD) and
the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to issue an Interim Policy
on Proposed Windmill Farm Locations on March 21, 2006. This policy
states that:
“The DOD/DHS Long Range Radar Joint Program Office Interim
Policy is to contest any establishment of windmill farms within
radar line of site of the National Air Defense and Homeland Security
Radars. This is to remain in effect until the completion of the
study and publishing of the Congressional Report.”
The original Congressional language was aimed at one project. However,
many other projects in the U.S. have received a “Notice of
Presumed Hazard” from the Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) and halted development. AWEA is aware of projects in various
stages of development – some only a few months away from construction
– in Wisconsin, Illinois, North Dakota, South Dakota, and
Minnesota that have been suddenly thrown into uncertainty.
Impacts to the wind industry: de facto regional moratorium
in parts of the country
The Interim Policy distributed by the Department of Defense and
the Department of Homeland Security, and being interpreted by the
FAA, threatens to derail the installation of billions of dollars
worth of clean, renewable, domestic wind energy in the U.S. (Chicago
Tribune May 31, “FAA takes the wind out of wind farms”).
This summer, a number of wind energy projects had planned to begin
construction, erecting and commissioning the wind turbine towers.
The de facto moratorium being placed on these projects by security
concerns means that the towers, generators, and blades will arrive
at the project sites but cannot be installed. Companies are operating
on extremely tight timetables and do not have flexibility to halt
construction indefinitely. There is nowhere to store the wind energy
project components while this study is completed. Workers on these
job sites, and the accompanying revenue boost to local economies
from their salaries, will be left on hold without permission to
continue with construction.
The deadline for completion of the study has passed, but the industry
has no information on whether it has been completed or not. And
one the study is finalized, what will be the resolution? Billions
of dollars have been invested to bring these wind energy projects
close to completion, and even larger investments are lined up for
2007. This action blocks the industry’s ability to build projects,
to contribute to the nation’s economy, environment and energy
security, and to realize the President’s vision for wind energy
to provide 20% of the nation’s electricity.
The problem and the potential solution
The wind industry is in a confusing and uncertain position because
it is unclear how many projects will be affected. The broad-brush
approach being taken by some in the U.S. government that stops all
development over a multi-state region pending outcome of a study
ignores industry and military operational experience. A number of
U.S. government installations have both wind turbines and functional
radar, and the British military has a track record of successfully
addressing this challenge.
Any study and accompanying policy on wind turbine impacts to radar
must therefore also explore the solutions used elsewhere in the
world and look at ways of mitigating the problem, rather than just
prohibiting wind development in large areas. Wind turbines are installed
at U.S. Air Force bases and near airports in the U.S. and elsewhere,
and experience at those sites demonstrate this is a solvable challenge.
These military and civilian installations have wind turbines and
functional radar:
F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming – 2 660-kW turbines
http://www.afcee.brokks.af.mil/ms/msp/center/Vol11No3/10.asp
U.S. Navy at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba – 4 950-kW turbines
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Mar2005/20050329_342.html
U.S. Air Force Space Command on Ascension Island – 4 225-kW
and 2 900-kW turbines
http://www.inl.gov/powersystems/ascension_island.shtml
U.S. Navy at San Clemente Island Base – 3 225-kW turbines
http://www.nelp.navy.mil/pdf_cases/Conservation_Wind_Power_SCI.pdf
Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts – near
Hull, MA turbines
http://www.ceere.org/rerl/publications/whitepapers/AWEA_Hull_2003.pdf
Wind projects are relatively close to Long Range Radar facilities
in:
Mt. Laguna, California (25 2-MW turbines)
McCamey, Texas (322 turbines totaling 356 MW)
British solutions to wind turbines and radar
Studies in the United Kingdom and elsewhere show that while wind
turbines can cause “clutter” on radars, there are engineering
solutions that can be implemented or should be explored further.
In the UK, the Ministry of Defense registered concerns on many wind
projects, but in November 2005, Wind Commander Nicky Loveday said,
“We have been learning about things that we thought were a
major problem for us. We have had to step away and say” actually
it really isn’t a problem for the air defence community.”
(Windpower Monthly, November 2005)
A June 2003 study form the British Department of Trade and Industry
(DTI) concluded that there are hardware and software mitigation
effects that can be implemented to reduce or eliminate the effects
of wind turbines on radars. These solutions include adding radars,
adding filters to the radar software, or altering the layout of
a wind project. These solutions vary in cost based on the site-specific
situation.
Conclusion
The industry is strongly supportive of responsible, effective actions
designed to identify and address any problems with radar caused
by wind turbines. Overly broad restrictions that shut down the industry,
threatening jobs, local economic revenue and the growth of clean,
renewable domestic wind energy are neither productive nor appropriate.
The American Wind Energy Association looks forwar4d to working with
the U.S. government to address this issue so that the wind industry
can get back to work for the benefit of America’s economy,
environment and energy security.
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