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A Strong Supporter of Renewable Energy DOD Will Focus On Allowing Construction of Wind Turbines While Maintaining Defense Readiness


Hyannis, MA, October 18, 2006… Clean Power Now today issued the following statement:


A report released on September 28, 2006 by the US Department of Defense concludes that due to the dramatic increase in wind energy use in the United States that additional research is necessary to determine the potential impact on radar systems and in completing timely case by case determinations with efforts to develop mitigation measures where warranted. The report focuses on effects of wind farms on air defense and missile warning radars.


The DoD study report concludes:


1. Although wind turbines located in radar line of sight of air defense radars can adversely impact the ability to detect and track any aircraft or other aerial object, the magnitude of the impact will depend upon the number and locations of the wind turbines1.


2. No definitive conclusion is made with respect to the impact of the proposed Nantucket Sound wind farm on the early warning radar on Cape Cod; however,


3. A more comprehensive analysis of the early warning radar at Cape Cod Air Force Station should be performed on an expedited basis2 even though the bottom of primary beam is elevated 2,400 feet above the proposed wind farm on Horseshoe Shoal in Nantucket Sound3.


Continued...


4. Such an analysis should also include consideration of whether range gating or other possible approaches can be employed to mitigate impacts4.


5. The Department will be unable to assess if wind farms in the nearby vicinity of early warning radars will impact their performance until such a comprehensive investigation is performed5.


6. The Department defers to the FAA regarding possible impacts wind farms may have on the Air Traffic Control (ATC) radars employed for management of the U.S. air traffic control system. The Department is prepared to assist the FAA in efforts the FAA may decide to undertake in this regard6.


Given the expected increase in U.S. wind energy development, the existing siting processes as well as mitigation approaches need to be reviewed and enhanced in order to provide for continued development of this important renewable energy resource while maintaining vital defense readiness .


In light of Cape Wind’s expected benefit to the public at large, as cited by the Massachusetts Facilities Siting Board ruling as well as the US Army Corps of Engineers Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Clean Power Now urges the DoD to move expeditiously to complete this further analysis.


  1. “The Effect of Windmill Farms On Military Readiness, 2006,” U.S. Department of Defense, p. 3.
    Ibid, p. 4, p. 55, 56.
    Ibid, Table 3, Approximate radar primary beam elevation at a range of 25 km (15.5 miles), p. 20.
    Ibid, p. 55.
    Ibid, p. 55.
    Ibid, p. 56.
    Ibid, p. 56