Severn Trent Water is making further progress with its work with East Midlands Airport and radar specialists, Aveillant, to develop and test the world’s first 3D holographic radar system to support its two wind turbines at Derby.
The turbines at Severn Trent Water’s Spondon sewage treatment works have been turning intermittently over the last six months, while further testing has been carried out on the radar system.
The system is crucial to make sure that flights can arrive and depart from East Midlands airport safely, while the turbines are turning and generating energy.
To date the two turbines have produced 1,400 mega watts hours of energy since they were built in December 2013 - is enough to power 420 homes.
Severn Trent’s renewable energy expert, Martin Dent, commented:
“While the turbines haven’t been used to their full capacity while we’ve been testing them over the last 18 months, they have produced energy. And when they do turn permanently they will generate enough energy to power 69,000 homes over the next 23 years (3,000 homes a year). “
“No one wants the wind turbines turning permanently more than we do, and we’ve worked very closely with Aveillant and East Midlands Airport over the last 18 months to develop and install the 3D holographic radar system to support the turbines.”
“We understand that it’s been frustrating for the local community not seeing them running. But we hope that they can understand that this ground breaking work and our investment in this new technology, is all supporting our drive to make sure we comply with the civil aviation authorities regulations, and get the turbines operating without restriction for many years to come.”
He added that Severn Trent is now very close to making sure the system does everything required and that as soon as the water company has permission the turbines will be turning permanently.
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