Vestas' installs first 'radar-friendly' blade

FRANCE: Vestas will use blade technology used on the Stealth bomber on turbines at a 96MW project in the south of France.

by David Weston 8 September 2014

Vestas' V90 and V80 turbines will be fitted with blades using stealth technology

All 35 Vestas turbines will use the blades, designed to reduce interference with radar using military technology.

The 96MW Ensemble Eolien Catalan project will be the first, large-scale project to use the technology becoming a demonstration site for the blades. It is being developed by EDF Energies Nouvelles (EDF-EN).

Vestas said the technology would not be offered as standard to the market and is being used on a site-specific basis.

The company also admitted that upgrading radar systems to improve their ability to separate wind turbines from moving objects could be a more cost-effective option.

A consortium, led by BAE Systems Advanced Technology Centre in the UK and including Vestas, has been researching the technology since 2008.

In June, Vestas and EDF-EN signed an 88MW deal to supply 24 V90-3MW and eight V80-2MW turbines to the project with the option to add a further 8MW, which EDF-EN has chosen to do.