Newcastle International today launched a unique Radar Blanking Strategy which will allow for a number of potential wind farm schemes in the North East to go ahead.
Since 2005, the airport has received over 250 consultations for on and off-shore wind farm developments from across the region, all aiming to meet government-set targets for renewable energy. Many of the schemes have the potential to affect the daily operations of Newcastle Airport’s Air Traffic Control, wind turbines in operation can appear on the airport radar with similar markings to a moving aircraft. In the absence of a solution, in the past, the airport has had no alternative but to object to schemes where an unacceptable impact was predicted. The Radar Blanking mitigation is a software update applied to the radar system which effectively places a ‘patch’ to cover the potential wind farm sites. This can prevent the turbines appearing, so they cannot be mistaken for moving aircraft.
Over the past two years, the airport has worked closely with the aviation industry, the renewables sector and regional partners to facilitate this mitigation. Four schemes have already been agreed to in principle under the new strategy and one of the developments, MSD Pharmaceuticals, is already under construction. Newcastle Airport has worked in association with RenewableUK, who have today welcomed the approach taken to allow wind development to proceed with mitigation, and the Civil Aviation Authority. The regional development agency, One North East, facilitated discussions between the airport and RenewableUK, formally the British Wind Energy Association (BWEA), to develop the strategy, recognising the importance of renewables to the regional economy.
Graeme Mason, planning and corporate affairs director at Newcastle Airport, said, “We recognise the importance of the renewables agenda, not just to the region, but on a national and even global level. We were very keen to explore ways in which we could work to facilitate wind turbine developments. This strategy allows certain developments to proceed whilst growing the region’s largest airport, which annually contributes £400 million to the regional economy.”
Ian Williams, Director of Business and Industry at One North East, said: “The Agency recognises both the importance of air connectivity and the growth of wind energy to the regional economy. However, we also recognise the potential conflict between the region’s airports and wind turbine installations.
“For several years One North East has hosted meetings between airport and industry representatives, including RenewableUK, to help find a solution to these issues and we therefore welcome Newcastle International Airport’s work in preparing this new strategy and hope it will benefit both the airport and the renewables sector."
Nicola Vaughan, head of aviation at RenewableUK, said “RenewableUK welcomes the proactive work that Newcastle Airport has undertaken in developing a radar mitigation strategy. This is a great example of where the aviation industry is working with wind farm developers to allow wind energy and aviation interests to co-exist.”
It is expected that there will be a limit to the number of Radar Blanking Areas that are possible. Given its finite nature, the Radar Blanking Strategy is therefore seen as short term mitigation. The CAA and others throughout the industry have made, and continue to make, a concerted effort to explore a long term solution to this issue, yet none of the emerging technologies have been proven at this time. Newcastle Airport, alongside other stakeholders, is open and committed to exploring all alternatives which might emerge to find lasting solutions which will allow for further development of wind farm schemes in the North East.
The full Radar Blanking Strategy can be viewed here.
For all press enquiries regarding Newcastle International Airport, please contact Nicola Quinn on 0191 214 3568 or nquinn@newcastleinternational.co.uk.