Military officials say wind turbines can stir up
problems for bases
Apr 28 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Dave Montgomery Fort Worth
Star-Telegram, Texas
Giant wind turbines dotting the Texas landscape have made the Lone Star
State the nation's leader in the development of wind power, but they may
also pose a hazard to military installations by interfering with crucial
radar operations, state lawmakers were told Tuesday.
Standing 250 feet high with 150-foot-long blades, the wind turbines
could cause false signals on radar and endanger aerial maneuvers or
produce erroneous information about storm conditions, several military
officials told the House Committee on Defense and Veterans' Affairs.
Interviewed afterward, the officials said they are unaware of crashes or
serious accidents resulting from radar interference but expressed
concern that windmill encroachment around the state's military bases
could become a growing problem.
Navy Capt. Tracy "T.D." Smyers, commander of Naval Air Station Fort
Worth, who also testified, said the issue isn't a problem for his
installation since there is minimal wind production in North Texas. But
he offered suggestions on how communities can work together with
military installations to resolve such conflicts, including consulting
with base officials.
Smyers cited what he is said is a "great relationship" between
the Naval Air Station, on the western edge of Fort Worth, and six
surrounding communities, as well as Tarrant County. The communities work
with the air station through a Regional Coordination Committee to
discuss compatible land use and other issues, Smyers said.
Potential hazard
The concerns raised by other military officials underscore a potential
downside of Texas' emergence as the nation's leading producer of wind
energy.
More than 6,000 wind turbines have sprung up in parts of far West Texas
and the Panhandle and along the Gulf Coast in response to the nation's
growing demand for alternative energy. A wind farm in Roscoe, near
Abilene, is believed to be the world's largest.
"The challenge is finding the right balance between promoting wind power
and protecting our military installations," said Rep. Chris Turner,
D-Burleson, a member of the committee.
Patrick Woodson of Austin, chief development officer for E.ON Climate
and Renewables, one of Texas' leading wind producers, told the committee
that industry officials are open to working with military installations.
"I don't think anybody in our industry has an interest in limiting any
mission," Woodson said. "We don't think it needs to be either/or."
Lt. Col. Michael Bob Starr, commander of the 7th Operations Support
Squadron at Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, said windmills throughout
West Texas could pose a potential hazard to B-1 bombers and C-130
transports that fly missions from the base. More than 2,000 turbines
have been built within 100 miles of Dyess and others are farther west.
Starr said base officials have persuaded wind turbine developers to
redesign projects to avoid adversely affecting operations on or near the
base. But he said wind turbines elsewhere in West Texas can interfere
with low-level training missions that can sometimes extend up to 120
miles from the base.
In the worst case, Starr said in a statement, they can form "an unknown
and potentially catastrophic hazard to our aircrews."
Radar shadow
Additionally, he said, a dense cluster of wind turbines near the town of
Albany can produce a "radar shadow" north and west of Dyess that often
obscures severe weather approaching the base.
Committee members were told that the moving windmill blades can create
erroneous patterns on radar. Dave Dahl, a Navy official from
Jacksonville, Fla., said military officials should be informed about
construction plans well in advance to have a chance to weigh in.
Capt. Philip Waddingham, commanding officer of Naval Air Station
Kingsville, expressed concern about proposals to greatly expand the
number of windmills in the region, which he described as a prime
training area for the Navy's student pilots.
As "these wind farms are built closer and closer to the Naval Air
Station," he said, "we anticipate there being a negative impact."
DAVE MONTGOMERY IS THE STAR-TELEGRAM'S AUSTIN BUREAU CHIEF. 512-476-4294
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