Light:Guard GmbH

Aviation obstruction lighting for wind energy installations in the United Kingdom follows clear technical guidelines established by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). As a wind farm operator, you face the challenge of implementing these requirements cost-effectively while strategically utilizing modern detection systems. The fundamental documents CAP 764 and DAP Policy 124 define your operational framework and create opportunities for innovative lighting concepts. The regulatory requirements extend far beyond simple installation. They encompass continuous monitoring, preventive maintenance, and documented failure response protocols. These obligations significantly impact your operational costs and require thoughtful compliance strategies that balance operational efficiency with regulatory certainty.

The Lüdersdorf wind farm is located in the municipality of Wriezen in Brandenburg, about 50 km northeast of Berlin. It consists of three Vestas wind turbines with a total nominal output of 11.6 MW. There are three airfields in the immediate vicinity. Due to the legal obligation under the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG), the light:guard system for demand-controlled night marking (BNK) was installed. The BNK system uses transponder signals and multilateration to detect the position of flying objects. Only when an aircraft is nearby is the lighting of the wind farm activated. This reduces night-time light pollution while ensuring safety for air traffic. For the analysis of the switching on and off times of the lights at the Lüdersdorf wind farm, six months from September 2024 to February 2025 were considered. The average light-off time was 92.61% and this despite high flight activity in the area due to the adjacent airfields. The proportion of light-on-time and error was minimal, which speaks for the high quality of the system.

And why is it so important for demand-driven night marking (BNK)?

Ihre Windkraftanlage blinkt trotz BNK-System? Die Gründe reichen von Luftraumaktivitäten bis zu Sicherheitsmechanismen. Hier erfahren Sie alles notwendige.

Introduction to the topic Light pollution is mainly found in urban areas and agglomerations. But even in rural areas, the population is not spared from artificial light. A common point of criticism is the flashing signals of wind turbines. These signals are needed to warn aircraft and other aircraft of obstacles. But the question arises: should the lights flash constantly, even when there is little or no air traffic? The answer is no. From 1 January 2025, all wind turbines in Germany that are higher than 100 metres must be equipped with an Aircraft Detection Lighting System (ADLS).

Die zentimetergenaue Positionsbestimmung von Luftfahrzeugen entscheidet über die Effizienz der bedarfsgesteuerten Nachtkennzeichnung (BNK) von Windenergieanlagen. Multilateration (MLAT) setzt dabei neue Standards in der Präzision der Luftraumüberwachung. Die Technologie entstammt der professionellen Luftraumüberwachung. Das Verfahren nutzt die Laufzeitunterschiede von Transpondersignalen zwischen verschiedenen Empfängern, um Flugzeugpositionen exakt zu bestimmen. Die Präzision übertrifft dabei klassische Radarverfahren deutlich.

Determining the position of aircraft with centimetre precision is crucial for the efficiency of Aircraft Detection Lighting Systems(ADLS) of wind turbines. Multilateration (MLAT) sets new standards in the precision of airspace monitoring. The technology originates from professional airspace surveillance. The method uses the time-of-flight differences of transponder signals between different receivers to precisely determine aircraft positions. The precision significantly exceeds that of conventional radar methods.

Light:Guard GmbH has successfully equipped all commissioned existing systems with demand-controlled night marking (BNK) and thus fulfilled an important requirement of the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG). BNK minimizes light emissions from wind turbines by activating obstruction lights only when an aircraft approaches. To date, the company has equipped around 4,000 turbines in around 750 wind farms, of which around 500 are already switched to dark.

Light pollution is particularly pronounced in urban areas and conurbations. But even in rural regions, the population is not spared from artificial lighting. A frequent point of criticism is the flashing signals from wind turbines. These signals are necessary to warn aircraft and other aircraft of obstacles. But the question arises: Do the lights have to flash all the time, even when there is little or no air traffic? The answer is: No. From 1 January 2025, all wind turbines that are higher than 100 metres must be equipped with demand-controlled night marking (BNK).

Light pollution is particularly pronounced in urban areas and conurbations. But even in rural areas, the population is not spared from artificial lighting. One frequent point of criticism is the flashing signals of wind turbines. These signals are necessary to warn aircraft and other aerial vehicles of obstacles. But this raises the question: do the lights have to flash constantly, even when there is little or no air traffic? The answer is no, at least in Germany. From January 1, 2025, all wind turbines higher than 100 meters must be equipped with an Aircraft Detection Lighting System (ADLS).

As a wind turbine operator, you face the complex task of balancing energy efficiency, environmental protection, and community interests. Aircraft Detection Lighting System (ADLS) emerges as a key technology in this context. Discover why ADLS isn't just beneficial, but essential for your wind farm.

re:cap global investors ag has completed the equipping of its 14 wind farms with a total of 59 turbines with demand-controlled night marking (BNK) on time in order to meet legal requirements and reduce light emissions for residents. The light:guard system for demand-controlled night marking was used for this purpose.

Als Betreiber von Windenergieanlagen stehen Sie vor der komplexen Aufgabe, effiziente und sichere Lösungen für die Luftraumüberwachung zu implementieren. Radarsysteme spielen dabei eine zentrale Rolle in der bedarfsgesteuerten Nachtkennzeichnung (BNK) und der allgemeinen Sicherheit Ihrer Anlagen. Tauchen Sie ein in die Welt der passiven und aktiven Radarsysteme und entdecken Sie deren entscheidende Bedeutung für Ihren Windpark.

As an operator of wind turbines, you are faced with the complex task of implementing efficient and safe solutions for airspace surveillance. Radar systems play a central role in Aircraft Detection Lighting Systems (ADLS) and the general safety of your turbines. Immerse yourself in the world of passive and active radar systems and discover their crucial importance for your wind farm.

Als Betreiber von Windenergieanlagen stehen Sie vor der komplexen Aufgabe, Energieeffizienz, Umweltschutz und Anwohnerinteressen in Einklang zu bringen. Die bedarfsgesteuerte Nachtkennzeichnung (BNK) erweist sich dabei als Schlüsseltechnologie. Entdecken Sie, warum BNK für Ihren Windpark nicht nur vorteilhaft, sondern unverzichtbar ist.

As an operator of wind turbines, you are faced with the complex task of reconciling energy efficiency, environmental protection and the interests of local residents. Aircraft Detection Lighting Systems (ADLS) is proving to be a key technology here. Discover why ADLS is not only advantageous for your wind farm, but indispensable.

The night-time flashing of wind turbines is more than just a visual phenomenon - it is an essential safety mechanism for air traffic.

Wir von Light:Guard freuen uns, unsere Teilnahme an der WindEnergy Hamburg 2024 bekannt zu geben. Als führender Anbieter von Bedarfsgesteuerter Nachtkennzeichnung (BNK) für Windkraftanlagen werden wir vom 24. bis 27. September 2024 auf dieser wichtigen Messe der Windenergiebranche vertreten sein.

With 90 wind turbines and a total capacity of 500 MW, Windplan Groen is the largest wind farm cluster in the Netherlands. The park was criticized because of the constant flashing of the turbines at night. Residents had complained about the light pollution and the impairment of the landscape. To solve this problem, the light:guard system for demand-controlled night marking (BNK) was installed in cooperation with Topwind. The BNK system uses transponder signals and multilateration (MLAT) to detect the position of flying objects. Only when an aircraft is nearby are the obstruction lights of the systems activated. The system's infrastructure includes seven Light:Guard Receivers (LGRs) and eleven Light Control Units (LCUs) throughout the wind farm. Needs-based night marking was able to significantly reduce light pollution. In the first month of operation, the lights remained off an average of 97% of the time, despite high flight activity. The BNK system showed high reliability with minimal errors. This has increased the acceptance of the wind farm among the local population and at the same time ensured flight safety.

Am 25. Juni fand ein Webinar über Bedarfsgesteuerte Nachtkennzeichnung (BNK) für Neuanlagen statt, organisiert von der Light:Guard GmbH. In diesem Webinar haben Expert*innen ausführlich über das Thema informiert und wichtige Fragen für Betreiber und Projektierer beantwortet.

Light:Guard already monitors almost the entire German airspace for demand-controlled night marking (BNK). Of these, one seventh has already been measured in accordance with the AVV. In these areas, new ADLS systems can be put into operation immediately.

We cordially invite you to our webinar on demand-driven night marking (ADL) for new systems. Here you can find out everything you need to know about ADLS for new plants and what you need to consider as an operator or project developer. Our BNK experts will answer all these questions for you. In addition, we will give you a brief overview of the current status of the BNK implementation half a year before the deadline.