August 21, 2013
Germany

Aviation conflict with wind energy

20 August 2013 by Sara Knight | Windpower Monthly | www.windpowermonthly.com

Some 3.5GW of German onshore wind projects are stalled due to flight safety and radar issues, according to the German wind energy federation BWE.

The projects on hold amount to more than the 2.4GW of wind capacity Germany installed in 2012.

The main problem is the protection zone radius around rotating radio beacons for civil aviation, which was increased from three kilometres to 15 kilometres in 2009.

In some rural districts, areas officially prioritised as suitable for wind energy use have been cancelled because the Federal Air Traffic Controlling Office has retroactively withdrawn agreement, the BWE said. Even wind station permits have been overturned, with corresponding loss of investment.

“Air safety is of great significance and is accepted unconditionally but there are alternatives to the doubtful and illogically restrictive practice on permitting,” said BWE managing director Henning Dettmer.

After solutions have been found with the military, the organisation hopes for cooperative talks with the federal transport ministry on radar and radio beacon issues.

[rest of article available at source]

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/08/21/aviation-conflict-with-wind-energy/