Windfarm characteristics and their effect on radar systems

Generating electricity from renewable energy sources is a major part of the UK Government's strategy to tackle climate change and to develop business opportunities. It has set ambitious targets of generating 10% of all UK's energy from renewable sources by 2010 with an aspiration to double this by 2020. Wind energy is expected to be a key contributor to these targets. There are concerns, however, that the construction of wind farms will have a negative effect on both Air Traffic Control (ATC) and Air Defence (AD) radars and many windfarm developments fail due to objections from radar stakeholders. This paper explores the effects, on radar system components, of the echo signals received as a result of radar illumination of a windfarm and their impact on the overall performance of a radar system. (6 pages)