Interactions of Wind Turbines with Aviation Radio and Radar Systems

Wind farms have the potential to impact on radio and radar systems used by civil and military aviation. For example, turbines can affect navigation and instrument landing. Wind turbines are reflectors of radio waves, and radars are affected because the speeds of turbine blades and aircraft are comparable. This is an impediment to wind farm development, with the problem affecting many GW of wind capacity in many countries. Developing approaches and technologies for the mitigation of the impacts of wind farms on aviation systems is therefore of great importance, having the potential to increase renewable energy generation without compromising essential safety considerations.

Interactions of Wind Turbines with Aviation Radio and Radar Systems covers the basics of aviation and aviation radio systems, of wind, wind turbines and wind farms, then deals with analysis, mitigation technology, and summarises future work. The book describes the factors that determine which aviation systems affected by turbines. Affected aviation systems are described to facilitate analysis of the problems, such as the frequencies and beam patterns. For systems amenable to mitigation, existing techniques are described and potential future concepts introduced. General analytical techniques and pitfalls are explored. The issues are multi-disciplinary, and the book explains the terminology to all target audiences. It provides the wind power community with the capability to understand the aviation problem, determine potential problems and mitigation strategies, and to communicate with other stakeholders.

Researchers and experts in the wind farm development community will find this book to be a valuable resource, as will aviation radio and radar experts, and specialist consultants in the field.