Frequently Asked Questions About Wind and Radar
- What does the Report on the Effects of Windmill Farms on Military Readiness from the Department of Defense say?
- What does the report NOT say?
- Why did the Department of Defense undertake this report?
- Will wind energy hurt the military's ability to defend the country against attack?
- Is the Defense Department anti-wind?
- What are the implications for the wind industry of the report?
- What are the real options for mitigating impacts of wind energy on military readiness?
- What exactly did the Federal Aviation Administration do related to wind projects and what is their role in approving wind projects?
- What is the Department of Energy's role in this issue?
- What is the role of other federal agencies in wind energy?
The report on windmill impacts on readiness (PDF 1.3 MB) states that wind energy has a role to play in meeting our national energy needs, that in certain circumstances wind turbines can impede radar systems and operations, and that more needs to be done to understand this interaction and develop ways of mitigating the impacts.
The report does not say that wind systems and the operation of critical national security radars are incompatible, nor does it say that wind projects can never be built near a radar system. It simply states that there needs to be a better understanding of what the impact could be, what the value of the impact is on military mission areas, develop better siting practices and procedures, and that more analysis and testing needs to be done to develop mitigation options.
The report is not a policy statement by the Department of Defense on wind energy in general nor is it a definitive, authoritative statement by the Department of Defense on the wind-radar issues.
Why did the Department of Defense undertake this report?
Congress directed the Department of Defense to undertake this study. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006, signed into law January 6, 2006 (PL 109-163), contained an amendment inserted by Senator John Warner (R-VA) requiring the Department of Defense to study and report on the effects of wind projects on military readiness:
SEC. 358. REPORT ON EFFECTS OF WINDMILL FARMS ON MILITARY READINESS. Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives a report on the effects of windmill farms on military readiness, including an assessment of the effects on the operations of military radar installations of the proximity of windmill farms to such installations and of technologies that could mitigate any adverse effects on military operations identified.
Will wind energy hurt the military's ability to defend the country against attack?
No. Wind developers have successfully installed over 21,000 megawatts of wind across the U.S. and 93,000 megawatts across the world in the past 20 years without one documented case of enabling an attack on any nation. In fact, the Department of Defense has direct experience with wind energy projects and successful radar operations on several domestic and overseas facilities. Wind projects are currently operating safely at military bases in Wyoming, California, Cuba, and Ascension Island, all in close proximity to various forms of military and civilian radar.
Wind developers have over 20 years of experience in properly siting wind projects to avoid negative impacts, whether on the environment or military operations. Problems exist when developers are not given the information and tools necessary to make proper siting decisions.
Is the Defense Department anti-wind?
No. The Department of Defense has consistently promoted the use of wind energy across the complex and is a national leader in the use of renewable energy across the federal government. The Department of Defense has been recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency's Green Power Partnership Program for the largest purchase of renewable energy in the U.S. The Department of Defense also operates wind projects on five Air Force and Navy facilities across the U.S., the Atlantic and the Caribbean. In addition, the Army is exploring the role small wind energy systems can play in forward operating areas to decrease reliance on transporting fuels through an active theater and reduce the threat of hostile action to military personnel.
While the Department of Defense did release an Interim Policy on Proposed Windmill Farm Locations on March 21, 2006, which called for its elements to contest any establishment of windmill farms within radar line of site of the National Air Defense and Homeland Security Radars, it was later clarified by a July 10, 2006 statement calling for case-by-case evaluation of the potential impacts of wind projects on radar systems.
What are the implications for the wind industry of the report?
The impacts, if any, will be minimal to non-existent. The wind industry is growing and we anticipate this will continue. In the U.S. today there are over 21,000 megawatts of wind energy installed and the market continues to grow at 25% annually. Wind energy in the U.S. represents a yearly capital investment of over $9 billion and employs over 60,000 people. Achieving this level of installed capacity to date strongly suggests that the wind industry and the civilian and military officials responsible for our security have already used and can work together to expand the practices and tools necessary to mitigate any significant impacts referenced in the report.
The wind industry and its stakeholders did voice concern about the potential impact the report could have for wind developers, their insurers and financiers by stating that wind projects are incompatible with ensuring national security. Such a finding would have created an unforeseen and un-addressable risk and have a chilling effect on the wind industry's ability to secure project financing.
The Department of Energy undertook an intensive technical review of the report and worked with the Defense Department and the Office of Management and Budget to address concerns with the proposed language. We believe we were successful in making significant changes to the overall tone and specifically the report's overview, conclusion and recommendations sections.
What are the real options for mitigating impacts of wind energy on military readiness?
The report, which was limited in focus due to resource and time constraints, cites three options as the only known procedures to ensure absolutely no impact to radars — moving the wind turbine, lowering the height, or re-locating the affected radar. However, this assumes that all impacts on radar performance, including those caused by weather, are unacceptable.
There are a number of technical mitigation options available today, including software upgrades to existing radar, processing filters related to signature identification, replacing aging radar, and potentially more. The Department of Energy is currently working with radar system experts across the country and overseas to catalogue known mitigation experiences, most promising options that exist, and those that are worth of developing in the future.
FAA recently approved, with support from the Department of Energy, over 600 applications for construction of wind turbines across several Midwestern and Plains states. Combined, these applications total over 950 megawatts of new wind power, representing a $1.5 billion investment in new clean energy electricity in Minnesota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Illinois. It is worth noting that several of the projects approved by the FAA were in line of sight of long-range radars, which is the subject of the Department of Defense report.
FAA has formal regulatory authority for the review and evaluation of potential impact by proposed structures, including wind turbines, on civilian and military air use, safety, and obstructions. The Department of Defense participates in the FAA's review and evaluation process of applications for potential impacts to its ability to defend the nation.
Wind project developers are required to apply for approval of each turbine within a project. The wind applications FAA has approve originally received notices of presumed hazard from the FAA, consistent with federal regulations, until the proposed construction projects could be evaluated for impact on air safety and security. These notices require developers to work with the FAA in efforts to identify ways and means of eliminating hazards. The approval of these applications is an indication that the process is successfully working and that the government and developers can come to agreement on a construction proposal that either eliminates or reduces risk to an acceptable level.
The fact that a wind turbine is in close proximity to a radar facility does not automatically mean that a turbine will have an adverse effect. The FAA analyzes each construction proposal on a case-by-case basis as expeditiously as possible. The FAA is working with the Department of Defense and other agencies to determine what mitigation actions are available with the understanding that wind energy is essential to our national energy policy and security.
What is the Department of Energy's role in this issue?
The Department of Energy took a leadership role on the wind-radar issue beginning in April 2006 aimed at allowing the development of vast homeland wind resources while protecting other critical civilian and military uses of the nation's land and air. A summary of select actions includes:
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directly engaged industry, stakeholders, the FAA and other agencies when it became apparent that wind projects were being halted across the Plains and Midwestern states;
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developed economic impact analyses related to the affected wind projects;
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provided technical information on characteristics of wind systems and operations to FAA and other agencies;
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worked with industry to prioritize the most critical wind projects for FAA further evaluation;
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hosted high-level technical exchanges between agency radar experts;
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participated in exploration of pre-screening tools for potential use by industry;
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launched a study to analyze mitigation experiences and options currently available as well as technology options for further exploration;
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led a multi-laboratory and expert contractor review of the draft Department of Defense Report, provided detailed technical comments and successfully negotiated significant changes to report's overview, conclusion and recommendations sections;
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leading a comprehensive interagency effort on wind energy siting issues to examine best practices, development of prescreening tools for industry used, and technology options that will enable continued growth of the wind industry;
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will work with the Department of Defense to develop analytical tools and test data on the impact of wind turbines on the advanced radar systems critical to our national security, a key recommendation contained in the report.
What is the role of other federal agencies in wind energy?
A number of federal agencies have either formal or informal responsibilities related to wind energy. For example, the Department of Energy and industry partners lead the national investment to improve performance of wind energy technology and move the technology to market.
The Department of the Interior has responsibility related to wind development on federal lands onshore and offshore and protection of endangered species and migratory birds across three elements: Fish and Wildlife Service; Bureau of Land Management; and Minerals Management Service. Each of these Interior elements has or is soon to have guidelines related to wind development. USDA's Forest Service has similar responsibility for development on federal lands under its control and is working to craft siting practices.
The National Oceans and Atmospheric Administration within the Department of Commerce has responsibility for operations of weather stations across the U.S. and interested in ensuring proposed development near or around weather stations does not unreasonably impact their radar operations.