The growth wind energy production has seen both an increase in the size of wind turbines and larger number of turbines in closer proximity to towns and villages. To reduce the impact of these turbines on their neighbours, whilst maintaining the safety of low flying aircraft, many countries promote the control of obstruction warning light intensity according to the local visibility.
The unique design of the SWS and HSS sensors makes them particularly suited to this application where high reliability must be combined with immunity to interference from the warning lights they control. A significant proportion of the world’s wind turbines that have warning light intensity control use Biral sensors for visibility measurement. Biral visibility sensors are often installed as part of a complete system with obstruction lights manufactured by Orga BV.
The Deutscher Wetterdienst (German Meteorological Service – DWD) has certified the VPF-710, SWS-100 and SWS-200 sensors as suitable for use in visibility controlled wind turbine obstruction light systems.
