UK Gov't Sets Aside $5M for Tech That Can Mitigate Offshore Wind Farms Impact on Radar Systems

Mar 23, 2021

For illustration only - A U.S. Air Force F-15C Eagle assigned to the 48th Fighter Wing, RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom, breaks away from a KC-135 Stratotanker from the 100th Air Refueling Wing, RAF Mildenhall, U.K., after receiving fuel off the English Coast, April 23, 2020. The 100th ARW provides air-refueling support throughout the European and African areas of responsibility. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Emerson Nuñez)

The UK Gov't has announced Phase 2 of the competition "Windfarm Mitigation for UK Air Defence," offering up to £3.6 million ($4,96 million) for technologies that mitigate radar risk of offshore wind farms.

"The continued development of wind turbine sites can have an adverse impact on civil and military air traffic control, and air defense surveillance. If you think you have an idea that can be developed to support the coexistence of offshore windfarms and UK air defense systems, DASA would like to see your technology in Phase 2 of the competition,” the UK Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said in a statement informing of Phase 2 of the competition, set for launch on April 20.

The Windfarm Mitigation for UK Air Defence competition seeks proposals that can develop technologies to permit the coexistence of future offshore wind farms alongside UK air defense.

Total funding of up to £3.6 million over two financial years is available for Phase 2 of the competition, from which DASA expect to fund 5-6 projects. The closing date of Phase 2 is June 15, 2021.

DASA is looking for

alternative technologies that could reduce radar clutter caused by offshore windfarms
improvements to the probability of intruder detection
the capability to fill or remove gaps in radar coverage.
alternatives to radar
solutions to the cumulative effect of windfarm development
metasurfaces applied to, or alterations to the design of, the wind turbines
alterations to the initial radar signal or radar station or processing of the return

The competition is funded by the BEIS Net Zero Innovation Portfolio and is undertaken in partnership with the Royal Air Force (RAF), the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), and DASA.

In the first phase DASA awarded contracts to Thales, QinetiQ, Saab, TWI and Plextek DTS to fast-track their ideas for technologies that can mitigate the impact of wind farms on the UK’s air defense radar system.

Suppliers can take part in Phase 2 of the competition if they were not involved in Phase 1.