After successfully completing the certification process for its transponder-based Aircraft Detection Light System (ADLS), the independent service provider Deutsche Windtechnik can now announce that it has signed its first major ADLS contract. windpunx GmbH & Co. KG has placed an order for the retrofitting of a large proportion of their managed wind turbines. The ADLS system can be installed in turbines from different manufacturers that use different technologies. In addition, the associated documentation of the retrofitting will ensure that the operator continues to receive remuneration under the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG). Preparations to retrofit the wind turbines will begin immediately and the process will be completed within the legally mandated period of time.
Multi-brand and spanning multiple wind farms
The contract between the operations manager windpunx GmbH & Co. KG and Deutsche Windtechnik encompasses wind turbines from existing contracts as well as additional turbines. For Steffen Schroth, managing director, and Felix Genze, chief operating officer of windpunx GmbH & Co. KG, two major reasons for the decision to work with Deutsche Windtechnik were the good cooperation in the past and the expertise to retrofit turbines from multiple manufacturers. The operations manager´s wind turbines that require On-Demand Night-Time Marking (ONM) include systems from Vestas, NEG Micon, Siemens, Nordex, Senvion, Fuhrländer, Enercon and GE: “We have a very wide range of turbine types in our portfolio. It is very helpful to be able to place an order with just one provider that covers all wind turbines that require ONM. Our companies have already gathered good experiences working together over a long period of time, so this step was simply logical for us,” said Felix Genze.
Deutsche Windtechnik’s ADLS consists of a central Transponder Reception Module (TRM) and the ADLS boxes. The ADLS boxes are installed in each wind turbine but the TRM only needs to be installed in one central turbine. The ADLS system makes it possible to connect wind turbines within a radius of six kilometres with just one TRM, regardless of the turbine technology. This advantage is also of interest to operators of individual wind turbines at one end of the spectrum to multiple wind farms at the other. “Adjacent wind turbines can be connected to the existing TRMs as part of the ADLS retrofitting process. This means that the costs and the time required for retrofitting can be kept at a minimum for all wind farm operators involved,” said Karl Keusgen, Managing Director of Deutsche Windtechnik Steuerung.
