Offshore Wind Turbine Radar Interference Mitigation Webinar Series

On April 20, 2020, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Wind Energy Technologies Office presented the first in a series of live webinars to discuss offshore wind turbine radar interference mitigation strategies and research needs for offshore wind development that may impact sensitive radar systems. The webinar was hosted by the Wind Turbine Radar Interference Mitigation (WTRIM) Working Group—a consortium of federal agencies composed of DOE, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), the Federal Aviation Administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

This webinar series is intended to build relationships between key industry stakeholders and agencies around offshore wind-radar issues, share government and industry perspectives on potential impacts of offshore wind on radar missions, and gain a better understanding of the future direction of the offshore wind market.

Offshore Wind Turbine Radar Interference Mitigation Webinar Series
April 20	Wind Turbine Radar Interference Mitigation Working Group Introduction The first webinar in the series, DOE and DOD introduced the Wind Turbine Radar Interference Mitigation Working Group, and offshore wind developer Ørsted shared their experiences with offshore wind-radar interference issues in the United Kingdom and European Union. The webinar is available for viewing and the presentation slides are available for download.
May 18	U.S. Offshore Wind Project Review Process and Implementing Mitigation Solutions from a WTRIM Perspective This webinar featured a presentation by BOEM Program Manager Jim Bennett and a panel discussion on the offshore wind project review and approval process in the United States from the WTRIM perspective. Speakers included representatives from DOD, DHS, NOAA, and the American Wind Energy Association. The webinar is available for viewing and the presentation slides are available for download.
June 29	Relocatable Over-The-Horizon-Radar R&D Briefing This webinar featured a briefing from Mr. Larry Nelson, Director Relocatable Over-The-Horizon-Radar (ROTHR) at the Forces Surveillance Support Center (FSSC). His briefing included an overview of the ROTHR mission, specific wind turbine radar interference issues associated with the radars, and potential mitigation options. The presentation slides are available for download.
July 13	Marine Navigation Radar This webinar introduced marine navigation radar and included presentations on marine navigation issues, existing studies, wind developer and mariner perspectives on the issues, and a moderated panel Q&A. Speakers included representatives from the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Ørsted, and Responsible Offshore Development Reliance (RODA). The webinar is available for viewing and the presentation slides are available for download.
July 27	Oceanographic High Frequency (HF) Radar Webinar This webinar featured presentations on mission impacts, technical issues, and mitigation options. Presenters included representatives from: the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration’s Integrated Ocean Observing System (NOAA-IOOS) that manage the U.S. HF radar network; partner Federal agencies the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM); academic partner institutions Rutgers University, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and the University of California, Santa Barbara; HF radar manufacturer CODAR Ocean Sensors, Ltd.; and others. The webinar is available for viewing and the presentation slides are available for download.
October 26	Terminal Radar This webinar featured briefings on terminal radar systems and discussed the technical impacts of offshore wind turbines on terminal radars as well as potential mitigation solutions. The presentation slides are available for download.
November 30	Long-Range Radar Webinar This webinar focused on the long-range radar systems that are in use by the Federal Aviation Administration and other federal agencies to maintain air traffic safety as well as other missions.