|
Offshore wind farm at dusk. The red lights on the nacelles are for air traffic control, whilst the yellow and white lights on the foundations serve as navigation aids for ships. Photo: TÜV SÜD
harder and may obstruct the perception of individual turbines. Permitted timing deviations are therefore tight, in some cases below one tenth of a second. This hinges not only on the light fitting, but also on control logic, network performance and a stable time reference. A light that meets photometric requirements in isolation may still fail operationally if the farm-level control system cannot hold synchronisation under partial outage or maintenance conditions. Offshore environments impose additional stressors that compound over the wind turbine generator (WTG) lifecycle. Salt spray, UV radiation, wind loading and continuous vibration can degrade optical components throughout the WTG lifecycle. UV exposure may cloud diffusers and reduce transmitted intensity. Seal failure can allow moisture ingress, while saline deposits on lenses can distort light distribution. Baseline photometric measurements under laboratory conditions establish a reference point. Later comparative measurements show how well the system adheres to said point, helping operators plan
condition-based maintenance and keep non- compliances from going undetected.
Demand control, redundancy and cybersecurity
On many projects, demand-controlled night marking (DCNM) is no longer conceptual, but a regulatory expectation. The principle is simple: lights activate only when aircraft detection registers approaching traffic. The engineering challenge here lies in the dependencies this creates; sensors, control logic and fail-safe behaviour all need system-level verification. Availability is similarly important, as a failed unit can remain unreachable for days given the challenges of an offshore environment. Redundant component or circuit architectures can help preserve safety functions until repair is possible.
Where offshore wind infrastructure falls within critical infrastructure regulation, frameworks such as ISO/IEC 27001 apply. Obstruction lighting is increasingly integrated into IP-based supervisory architectures for remote diagnostics and synchronisation. This level of networked connectivity enlarges the attack surface.
Disruption to communication, manipulation of flash timing or falsification of monitoring data can be extremely threatening to safety without showing any visible damage.
Making compliance auditable Permitting authorities, lenders and insurers require traceable evidence. That translates into: photometric test reports covering intensity, distribution, chromaticity and uniformity; system descriptions addressing synchronisation logic and fail-safe states; maintenance concepts that account for the reality of offshore access, like limited weather windows or components ageing under salt or UV; and records supporting ongoing conformity audits. Independent third- party assessment strengthens this evidence base, particularly on cross-border projects or where long-term financing is involved. TÜV SÜD provides continuity from early- stage qualification to periodic verification in operation. This ensures that the lights that protect aviation and shipping continue to do so reliably for the full operational life of the installation.
www.modernpowersystems.com | May/June 2026 | 39
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45
