A new radar absorbing wind turbine blade is now being used at a wind farm in the eastern section of the UK. The blade was developed to counter the confusion, aviation radar has been tracking aircraft. When they are in the vicinity of wind farms.
The wind turbine manufacturing company, Vestas, and the defense contractor, Qinetiq, have combined to produce stealth turbines that are covered with a radar absorbing substance. This work over a five-year period, could assist any number of the current wind farm proposals which are on hold due to what is known as radar clutter issues.
This work project is partially funded by the United Kingdom’s Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. Recently, a full-sized 44 meter sample model turbine blade was fitted at a wind farm in Norfolk.
It seems the main problem causing the radar clutter froma wind turbine is from the blades since they are continually rotating, this according to the strategic business director employed by Qinetiq. He also states a coating is available for the tower structure, which is unlike paint because of its viscosity.
The turbine blades, however, will have their special stealth material produced straight into the manufacturing process of the blade as a whole. This means that the entire wind turbine will become suitably stealthy, based on the fact that two solutions are being used to affect a stealth model.
Ultimate Solution
Also recently a pledge was made by Secretary Ed Miliband, of energy and climate change, to contribute funding totaling £5.15 million to find a solution to the radar clutter predicament.
The new stealth blade has a radar signature that is much smaller than any regular sized blades would emit. The secretary has said this issue is presently stalling what amounts to more than 10 GW of wind farm production that is either currently in the planning or moving into the development phase.
The financing offer is meant to produce a procedure that operates in quite a different manner.
The objective is to design a method by which a radar system could detect these wind turbines and deduct those confusing effects out of the radar signal itself.
The group responsible for the stealth turbine blade realizes their attempt at fixing this radar issue will help the problem, but not ultimately solve it.
It is understood that there is not one particular solution to fixing this complex issue. Each wind farm that is proposed operates uniquely from another. When one considers the quantity of turbines, where they will be located, how close they are to any radar installations and other contributing factors, there is much to take into account to solve this problem. The stealth turbine blades cannot guarantee a positive radar signal outcome in every single situation, but the idea is sound. It is working in a positive way to solve a difficult situation.
Innovative ideas and forward thinking will be necessary as renewable projects continue to move forward. If the stalled projects and proposals are ever going to become a reality than continuous, problem solving efforts must make up a part of the pre-deployment process for these new energy systems.
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