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Telecommunications Issues for Wind Power Facilities

This presentation outlines the potential telecommunications issues involving wind power facilities and discusses options for government spectrum users. It covers the impact of turbines on line-of-sight microwave links, propagation characteristics of nearby facilities, and electromagnetic characteristics. It also explores the impact on microwave point-to-point communications, radar, land mobile radio, and cellular/PCS telephones.

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Telecommunications Issues for Wind Power Facilities

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  1. Telecommunications Issues for Wind Power Facilities Interdepartment Radio Advisory Committee Presentation June 14, 2005

  2. Presentation Outline • Telecommunication Issues Involving Wind Power Facilities • Review of Analysis for Spectrum Users Operating Under FCC Jurisdiction • Example of Previous Project • Options for Government Spectrum Users • Next Steps • Summary

  3. Potential Telecommunications Issues Involving Wind Power Facilities • Wind Power facilities create possible line-of-sight blockage to point-to-point microwave links • Turbines potentially alter propagation characteristics of nearby telecommunications facilities • Turbines potentially affect the electromagnetic characteristics of surrounding telecommunications facilities Wind Power Developers Are Pro-Active In The Early Planning Stages Of Facilities To Quantify and Minimize Any Disruption To Existing Telecommunications Networks

  4. Telecommunication IssuesGovernment Spectrum • Microwave point-to-point communications • RADAR • Land mobile radio (LMR) • Cellular and PCS telephones

  5. Microwave Point-to-Point Communications • Potential line-of-sight (LOS) path blockage • Evaluate Wind Power facilities with respect to: • All licensed and coordinated microwave links • Critical Information • Coordinates, Ground Elevation, Antenna Centerlines, Frequencies of Operation, etc. • Location of wind turbines (geographic area) • Dimensions of individual turbines (tower height and blade diameter) • Evaluate Fresnel zones of microwave paths for potential path blockage

  6. RADAR Issues • Potential signal blockage in sector of wind turbines • Overload of Doppler processor • Target detection capability reduction • Range and target tracking degraded

  7. LMR, Cellular and PCS Issues • Wind facility has minor affect on LMR, cellular and PCS coverage • Repeater antennas for LMR can be located on wind turbine or utility towers • Cellular and PCS base station antennas can be located on wind turbine or utility towers

  8. Possible Corrective Actions • Microwave • Relocation of wind turbines • Relocation or re-engineering of microwave facility • LMS, Cellular, PCS, RADAR • Relocation of wind turbines • Re-engineering of communication facility • Insure separation distances from turbines based on application

  9. Proposed Distance Separations Verse Frequency Band

  10. Example of Previous Project

  11. Options For Government Spectrum Users • No Action – Risk possible blockage, disruption of service and cost/time to resolve after the fact • Wind Power developer to provide details of Wind Power facility to NTIA / IRAC for analysis by interested parties on an ad hoc basis • Provide Wind Power facility data to NTIA / IRAC as part of a formal, to be defined, coordination process • Comsearch, or others, to be provided limited access to GMF on an as-needed basis to perform analysis on behalf of operators (results provided to customer and NTIA / IRAC) • Implement a “blind” automated system fashioned after the 70 - 90 GHz band • Perform on-site measurements to determine government spectrum usage in the area • Combinations of above

  12. Next Steps • NTIA / IRAC discussion and feedback on process for dissemination of Wind Power Developers’ plans • Identify desired options to address issues and establish framework for analysis and response • Establish NTIA / IRAC points-of-contact for processing requests • Establish and implement methodology to provide NTIA / IRAC with Wind Power facility information for analysis and response

  13. Summary • Wind Power facilities are being developed in increasing numbers to provide an alternative source for power generation • Wind Power facilities have the potential to disrupt near-by telecommunications networks due to their large geographical and individual turbine height footprints • Wind Power developers are aware of the potential issues and desire to implement a process to facilitate coordination with all telecommunication operators Solutions exist for all telecommunication users (commercial and government) by taking pro-active steps in the planning of the Wind Energy facility

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