Vestas announces successful tests of "stealth" turbine

World leading wind turbine manufacturer Vestas announced Friday its testes on a full-scale "stealth" turbine rotor yielded positive results, which was a major step forward for building wind power plants near military bases and airports without the rotors interfering in their radar systems. "The testing has demonstrated that we have successfully adapted military stealth technology to make Vestas wind turbines viable for placement in many locations that have been restricted due to radar concerns," said Vestas Technology R&D President Finn Strom Madsen in a press release. The stealth turbine test, which was conducted at a UK customer's site with technology partner QinetiQ, is part of an ongoing research collaboration that began in 2006. The stealth turbine solution uses a portfolio of radar absorbing materials that are integrated into the current manufacturing processes for turbine components. These modifications do not affect the performance and appearance of the turbines, which meet current visual standards. An estimated 20 gigawatts of wind power capacity worldwide are currently blocked by concerns of radar interference.