Green light for green energy At Vestas, the future is green. We believe sustainable energy sources – wind power in particular – will dominate the energy market in place of fossil fuels. This means increasing the public acceptance of turbines, a task best achieved by winning the hearts and minds of communities. Shadow flicker – the effect caused by the sun shining through the rotating blades of a turbine – is one of the drawbacks of locating a wind farm near houses. In fact, shadow flicker can sometimes dictate whether planning permission is granted or not. By equipping our turbines with Vestas Shadow Detection System, we can open up more areas for wind farm investment. And that means more opportunities for investors to profit from harvesting wind energy. Farewell to the flicker In response to this, we’ve developed our Vestas Shadow Detection System (VSDS) to overcome shadow flicker. Your benefits at a glance: · Higher chance of planning permission · Greater community acceptance of wind farms · Economical to install and maintain · Reliable, proven technology · Suitable for a range of turbines and environments Product Availability: VSDS is available across a range of turbines and is a reliable and effective option for Vestas turbines with: · Free IO signals · VMP global software platform A reliable and economic solution To provide the diagnostics and performance required by our customers, the VSDS system is engineered for complete technological reliability. Its direct connection to the turbine means it can operate even if the SCADA systems fail. VSDS has a good track record with more than fifty installations already in operation. For flawless compatibility, the control box and interfaces is designed with Vestas in control of overall specifications. Vestas Wind Systems A/S Hedeager 44 . 8200 Aarhus N . Denmark Tel.: +45 9730 0000 . Fax: +45 9730 0001 [email protected] . vestas.com

How does it work? The VSDS system is integrated with the control system of the turbine. If the unit registers shadow flicker beyond a certain threshold, it pauses the blades to avoid the strobing effect on nearby properties. The equipment comprises two sensors, fitted to the east and west aspects of the turbine. A shadow controller unit measures the difference in intensity between those two readings and calculates how pronounced a shadow is at any given moment. The sensors are: ·· Heated to prevent freezing in conditions as low as -38oC. ·· Resistant to ground reflection for consistent results...