The U.S. Department of Energy is partnering with the Danish wind developer Vestas and investing in efforts to improve the next generation of wind turbines.
Vestas claims to have achieved a major landmark with the testing of a radar-friendly turbine, which would permit wind farms to be located near military, airport and other radar systems without causing interference.
The V90 turbine achieved a reduction in radar cross-section of approximately 99%.
“Our testing has demonstrated that we have successfully adapted military stealth technology to make Vestas wind turbines viable for placement in many locations that have been restricted by radar concerns,” says Vestas’ president of technology R&D Finn Strøm Madsen.
The new turbine uses radar absorbing material designed to operate at aviation and maritime frequencies.
A turbine of this type could unlock an estimated 20 gigawatts (GW) of wind power development that is currently blocked due to various radar systems.