Transponder based system for control of wind turbine obstruction lights

Due to economics wind turbines today reaches over 200 m, with following high-intensity obstacle lights. Permits for wind turbines therefore demand lights to be lit when there are aircraft in the vicinity only.

In this project an aviation collision avoidance system will be installed in a centrally located wind turbine in order to detect the distance and height to aircraft.

By means of a purpose-developed device the output signal from the system will govern the obstruction lights of the park. To make the system work, aircraft have to be furnished with transponders. In the application to Transportstyrelsen two alternative ways to achieve this goal are proposed.

The project may result in Swedish and foreign wind parks being furnished with transponder controlled obstruction lights, thus reducing the time lit by 99 %. During 2021 17 500 German wind turbines will be furnished with obstruction lights on demand. Due to differences in transponders the German solution cannot be used here.