In the first half of September, the Lofar radio telescope is going to measure the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the first turbine of a new, neighboring wind farm. As the telescope is very sensitive to this kind of radiation, the turbine has been specially modified to significantly reduce its EMC levels. Commissioned by Lofar owner Astron, the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy, and the wind farm initiator, the pre-qualification measurements aim to check whether the achieved reduction is sufficient or further adjustments are necessary.
When finished, the wind farm “De Drentse Monden en Oostermoer” will consist of 45 210-meter high turbines. They’ll be placed in six lines around the towns of Gasselternijveen, Drouwenermond, Nieuw-Buinen, Eerste and Tweede Exloërmond in the north of the Drenthe province. The first turbine was recently erected near Eerste Exloërmond, just a few kilometers from the Lofar core in Exloo. If needed, the measurements will be repeated in the upcoming months, under the supervision of the Dutch Radiocommunications Agency.