The effect of wind farm clutter on land-based air traffic control (ATC) radar has been well studied in both Europe and the US, since it raises serious safety concerns. Both flight trials [EU1] and detailed analysis [EU2] have been carried out in the UK to assess wind farm interference on ATC radars. Specific guidelines on how to assess the potential impact of wind farms on ATC radars were issued in [EU3]. In the US, the guideline set by [US3], which adopts a similar set of methodologies set forth in [EU3], is used in the obstruction evaluation process for wind turbines. The question of potential interference from offshore wind farms on ATC radar was raised in the Cape Wind project. In [US1], FAA performed a study to address this issue using existing modeling tools for land based wind farms [US2].
US.1
"Impact Study of 130 Offshore Wind Turbines in Nantucket Sound"
FAA, Western Service Area, Engineering Services, Report AJW-W15B
S. Hawk
March 03, 2009
US.2
"The Radar Support System (RSS): A Tool for Siting Radars and Predicting Their Performance,"
B. O'Hern, J. Mack, A. Pieramico, D. Rugger and L. Moyer
1997 IEEE National Radar Conference, Syracuse, NY, pp. 211-216, May 1997.
US.3
"Assessment of the Effects of Wind Turbines on Air Traffic Control Radars"
J. J. Lemmon, J. E. Carroll, F. H. Sanders, D. Turner
NTIA Technical Report TR-08-454 to the U. S. Department of Commerce
July 2008.
EU.1
"The Effects of Wind Turbine Farms on ATC RADARS"
Air Warfare Center, Royal Air Force, UK
May 10, 2005.
EU.2
"Windfarm Characteristics and their Effect on Radar Systems"
C. A. Jackson (BAE Systems)
IET International Conference on Radar Systems
2007
EU.3
"Guidelines on How to Assess the Potential Impact of Wind Turbines on Surveillance Sensors"
EUROCONTROL (European organisation for the safety of air navigation)
9/2010