Latest Wind Farm News!
Wind Takes Wings in 2012
In the same week that installed wind energy has passed the 6GW mark (equivalent to supplying the annual needs of about 3.3 million households), new radar technology which will overcome the potential problem of ‘clutter’ from some wind farms has proved to be successful.
The Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) produced between the wind industry and stakeholders in air traffic control have resulted in the introduction of new radar systems which will more or less immediately release objections to about 4GW of wind energy, and will also establish the way forward for future approvals.
An article in ‘businessGreen’ on Monday (16th. January) reported that “the MoD announced late last week that contractor SERCO had installed and successfully tested a Lockheed Martin TPS-77 Air Defence Radar at Trimingham on the Norfolk coast, which allows it to conditionally scrap its objections to five offshore wind farms in the Greater Wash.” Two more ‘wind friendly’ radars are already due to be installed at Staxton Wold, North Yorkshire, and Brizlee Wood, Northumberland.
Funding for the installation of these radars is the result of collaboration between developers within the wind energy sector. It demonstrates, yet again, that technological solutions can be found when there is sufficient determination and cooperation from all parties involved.
Objectors to wind farms are finding that, one by one, the ‘extraneous’ arguments they put forward no longer carry credence. Soon, they will be left with nothing but the core reasons for their objections.
