Wind Farms

With the requirement for 10% of the UKs energy needs to be met by renewable energy by 2010, there has been a considerable growth in the generation of electricity by wind power. Apart from those sites already in place there is a considerable amount of speculative effort being put into the identification of suitable sites for wind farms. Due to the height and size of the turbines there is a risk that the rotation and change of angle and direction of the turbine blades, which can have large copper lightening conductors within them, may cause interference to existing fixed location radio links. This type of link may be used for fixed microwave systems which can carry many thousands of telephone calls or huge volumes of data on the larger links or alternative systems with lower capacity such as radio based scanning telemetry systems.

Part of the planning process is for draft applications for wind farms to be submitted to a range of organisations, such as Ofcom, MOD, CAA and CSS Spectrum Management Services for evaluation to identify if any proposed wind farm is likely to interfere with existing licensed radio paths.

Every application is examined in detail by CSS and a number of tests are undertaken to identify if there is a risk to existing Water Industry Users.

If there is, the Water Industry members are advised as is the applicant. The process is time consuming but is essential to safeguard the long term interest of the UK Water Industry.