30th October 2023
Light:Guard is the exclusive partner of Vestas in the field of Aircraft Detection Lighting Systems (ADLS). Both for existing turbines and, more recently, for new turbines, the light:guard system can be obtained directly from Vestas.
In order to be able to answer park operators’ questions in more detail about the current status of ADLS equipment, Vestas and light:guard recently held an online seminar. In addition to the welcome news that the retrofit for ADLS-ready is almost complete and that the 80% of all light:guard systems sold by Vestas and us have been installed, there were also updates on dark-switched parks and news on further acceptances.
The most important questions and answers are summarized here:
Answer: The deadline extension was left uncommented by the Bundesrat in the consultation process and is now being discussed in the Bundestag. You can find everything else about the deadline extension on this page.
Answer: All systems should be installed by the end of 2023 at the latest. A wind farm specific date can be requested via [email protected].
Antwort: Ja, wir haben schon diverse Einzelstandorte und auch bereits Parks mit Multilateration aus Cluster 1 aktiv. Zusätzlich haben wir über 500 Anlagen mit Radar-BNK-Systemen unserer Schwesterfirma Quantec Sensors bereits dunkel geschaltet. Da wir neben den BNK-Systemen auch für die Umrüstung der BNK-Infrastruktur bei diversen Herstellern verantwortlich waren, erfolgt unsere Aktivierung generell in drei Schritten:
Der erste Schritt ist bereits abgeschlossen, der zweite Schritt wird es zeitnah sein und danach folgt mit einem großen Schwung die Dunkelschaltung aller Parks als dritter Schritt.
Answer: Our experience with cluster 1 is that the acceptance process works better and faster when the clusters are smaller, which is why we have divided cluster 2 into three parts.
Answer: The exact schedule is subject to postponements and changes, but the following rough forecast can already be made: By the end of the year, it is planned to fly about 30% of all remaining wind farms and the final certificate can be issued for 15% of all wind farms. This concerns mainly cluster 1 (Hamburg), cluster 2 (Saarland/Rhineland-Palatinate) and Central Germany (Saxony, Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia). Southern Germany (Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg) will be flown in the first quarter of 2024 and subsequently certified. Northern Germany (Brandenburg, northern Saxony-Anhalt, Lower Saxony, northern NRW, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and rest of Schleswig-Holstein) will be surveyed and finally certified in the first quarter of 2024 with a separate team by then.
Answer: The site survey differs depending on the design of the ADLS system. There are three approaches: one ADLS system (receiver) per WTG, one ADLS system (receiver) per park (island solution) or one ADLS system (receiver) per park, which also receives the information from all other receivers. The quality of the signal is highest in the third solution approach (multilateration) pursued by Light:Guard. However, this is also the most complex in terms of system design and accordingly leads to increased testing efforts. However, we stand behind our system design, as we believe that in the long term it will enable the highest light-off time in parks, the greatest reliability and the highest safety can be guaranteed. We therefore ask for your understanding that the tests here are more long-term – but in our opinion therefore also more accurate and with higher legal certainty.
Answer: The temporary certificates were a response to the originally submitted draft legislation. Here, there were more stringent application requirements. The recently passed law has removed this again. The time-limited certificates are therefore no longer applicable.
Answer: In our view, confirmation of receipt of the permit from the authority is sufficient as proof or fulfillment of the requirement. Due to the open wording of the legal text, we recommend consultation with the relevant network agency or relevant law firms.
Answer: No, further tests are not necessary after that.