ACRP 01-24: Renewable Energy as an Airport Revenue Source
HMMH prepared ACRP Report 108: Guidebook for Energy Projects’ Compatibility with Airports and Airspace as a complement to ACRP Synthesis 28: Investigating Safety Impacts of Energy Technologies on Airports and Aviation and the FAA’s Technical Guidance for Evaluating Selected Solar Technologies on Airports, both of which were authored by HMMH. The objective of the research was to produce a Guidebook that provides best practices for aviation safety associated with planning, developing and constructing energy production and transmission technologies at and around airports.
The research evaluated potential impacts of energy projects on airports and airspace including physical obstructions of airspace, interference with radar and other navigation systems, visual impacts from glint and glare, turbulence from thermal plumes, visual impacts from vapor plumes, and turbulence from wind turbines. The associated energy technologies discussed are solar photovoltaic, concentrating solar power, wind turbines (and associated meteorological towers), traditional steam generating power plants, oil and gas drilling, and electric transmission infrastructure.
