Local group pushing for new technology that would mitigate usage of lights atop wind turbines

An organized group of northern Bingham County residents are raising awareness that the red lights on wind turbines don’t have to be on all night.

New radar technology can make it so that the lights only need to be on during a fraction of the night, if at all, the advocates say.

Across the country, this new radar technology, called Aircraft Detection Lighting System, or ADLS, is bringing back dark skies to the communities surrounding wind farms.

The radar tower built among the turbines can detect aircraft in a three-mile radius and within 1000 feet above the tallest turbine. If the radar finds such an aircraft, then and only then are the red lights turned on to warn the aircraft to stay above the turbines. Otherwise, there is no need for the lights to be on constantly.

This new technology is being approved by the Federal Aviation Administration on a case-by-case basis. ADLS has already proven effective with military installations and coastline air safety situations.

A committee of three local residents — Aaron Harker, Lanette Ehlers and Roger Cook — brought the red light nuisance and the ADLS solution to the Bingham County Commissioners in July. They had been talking with neighbors, holding meetings and circulating a petition. They wanted the commissioners to be aware of the new technology and they wanted to make it clear that they do not oppose wind power, just the red lights on all night when better technology makes that unnecessary.

Ehlers had already contacted Idaho Falls Airport and they determined that their flight traffic would be far above the 1000 feet detection and wouldn’t trigger the radar. Generally, the system would be for detecting local air traffic.

The “End the Red Lights Committee” had also contacted Clearway’s Cedar Creek Wind facility manager, Kyle Mang, about this solution. He hadn’t heard of the ADLS and readily passed the information to his superiors, noting that “we want to be leaders in this industry.”

Harker said that Clearway is reported to be looking at one of the ADLS companies to see what is possible. Mang confirmed that the “conversation is moving forward.”

Harker’s own research with Terma, an ADLS company, yielded an initial estimate of about $1 million to install the system, including a radar tower that would cost about $250,000 to construct. Also, apparen

tly it isn’t more costly to add the system after the turbines are operating. In fact, Terma prefers to work with established systems.

Bingham County Planning Director Tiffany Olsen noted that the endeavor would still need FAA approval and there will also be permits to apply for and pay for. However, she foresees this technology could be added to the county’s code for wind power so that all future wind farms would be required to include ADLS technology. All of the County Commissioners agreed with Olsen.

Commissioner Mark Bair took it one step further and proposed taking ADLS requirements to the state legislature through the Idaho Association of Counties lobby. He committed to presenting the idea at the fall Idaho Association of Counties conference. In the discussion, the idea that the current battle over the proposed Lava Ridge Wind farm northeast of Twin Falls might make the political climate favorable to laws requiring ADLS for all wind farms in Idaho.

At present, Clearway is studying the options and the End the Red Light District committee continues to gather signatures on their petition. Both sides plan to meet soon and see what solution can be implemented that serves all parties. To learn more, make a donation or sign the petition go to endtheredlightdistrict.org .