Soon after news broke about the Project RM modifications to the NATS radar at Lowther Hill and Great Dun Fell the UK air navigation provider gave a presentation on project progress. Among the attendees was our CEO Jan Georgopoulos.
The presentation included information on capacity dependent funding profiles, time scales and previously mentioned eligibility limitations.
Funding Profiles
The mitigation is currently available for Lowther and GDF. It is a scalable solution that can be deployed to other radar.
The cost to the developer is determined based on the size of the wind project:
0MW – 7MW
- For projects that fall into this category the developer will have to pay a one off contribution cost of £40,000; a similar price would be paid to implement the Single Cell Blanking Model.
Extensions beyond the 7MW limit would then be calculated using the next pricing band.
>7MW – <50MW
- This band requires developers to pay £20,000 to get an objection removed and replaced by a condition. From then, NATS would require a 12 months Implementation Notice.
- Should the wind development impact either the radar at Lowther Hill and/or Great Dun Fell then an additional contribution charge of £32,000 per MW.
Lastly, a continued service fee of £2,000 per annum is required.
>50MW
- Again, for developers with projects in this band a fee of £20,000 is required to remove an objection, and get a condition. From then, NATS would require a 12 months Implementation Notice.
- The price is then based on shared costs of mitigation among developers.
- There is “no first mover or last mover advantage, more developers sign up, consent and build the lower the contribution becomes.”
Project Eligibility and Limitations
There was a quick reminder of the current minimum threshold limits that were revealed back at a previous Project RM briefing back in December 2012.
A wind development, in line of sight of a Project RM equipped radar can be technically mitigated using the solution if it is over 9 nautical miles from the radar head, and the vertical angle between the base of required cover and the turbine tips is 1.2 degrees or greater measured from horizontal.
Depending on funding the minima can be reviewed.
What can Pager Power do?
In light of this information, we will be amending the Radar Line of Sight Assessment Expert Commentary for reports completed for NERL radar. Within the mitigation section, we will now comment on the eligibility for Project RM.
