New windmills no danger for air traffic

WILLEMSTAD — The planned new larger windmills at Playa Canao and in particular Tera Korá do not form any danger for the air traffic at Hato. TNO and the safety institute for the aviation NLR concluded the aforementioned.

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Both organizations had presented the results of the research into the impact of the windmills on amongst others, radar traffic and possible collisions. The research was performed by order of NUCapital, the future owner of both windmill parks on the northern side.
Transport-minister Maurice Adriaens (FOL) had specifically requested an independent research in connection with his responsibility for the air traffic safety.

The questions in advance had regarded the extent in which the wind turbines would influence the approach route, radar information. The existing park at Tera Korá will be knocked down. Five new windmills will replace the older models. The new windmills will be built on piles of 80 meters high. The wings have a diameter of 90 meters, which amounts to a total height of 125 meters. The new turbines can generate 3 Megawatt of energy per windmill. A similar park will be built at Playa Canoa instead of the current park. The total amount of wind energy will therefore amount to 30 Mw.

Shadow
however, the windmills cause some kind of shadow in the primary surveillance radar (PSR). The windmill wings are situated in the path of the radar signal, but do not reach the altitude of flying aircrafts by far. Researcher Martijn Schouten explains that there is a question of some influence, but only at a very long distance. "For example, when you normally observe an aircraft on the radar at a distance of 100 kilometers, this will now be visible at 90 kilometers." Theoretically, it could be a problem with very small aircrafts. As the windmills in the width of the signal hardly have any influence, this does not constitute an obstacle.

Cluttering could also occur on the PSR because of a disturbance by the windmills. Due to this, ‘echo’s’ will appear on the radar which are not there in reality.

Trained air traffic controllers immediately recognize these non-existing ‘copies’. A simple adjustment is possible if the software does not observe them as such, according to TNO. Where TNO qualifies the influence of windmills as limited on the primary radar, the influence on the secondary radar, the instrumental landings system ILS and other communication system is considered unlikely.

Transponder
Influence on the primary radar can only take place when aircrafts fly extremely low. Nowadays, communication with aircrafts mainly occurs via a transponder, whereby the aircraft itself also sends signals. The windmills did not appear to influence the secondary radar. During a presentation, an air traffic controller remarked that there is a considerable question of small aircrafts having no transponder in the air traffic at Hato. Theoretically, it could be a problem, TNO admits, but extremely rare. The approach does take place over or in the surrounding of the windmills, but much more southerly of Tera Korá.
The research of the reputable Air Transport Safety Institute NLR concludes positively regarding the planned windmills. The influence of the turbines on procedures and the risk of collision are negligible. The results open the way for Environmental Planning to give the green light for a construction permit for the new windmill park of NUCapital. The company, which will be supplying the wind energy to Aqualectra, had taken over the windmill park at Playa Canoa from Delta Caribbean last year. NUCapital is specialized in alternative energy in the region. A windmill park of 30 Mw is under construction at Vader Piet on Aruba.