Projects

“ECLIPSE” LIGHT - DESIGNED FOR WIND FARMS

MANDATE

In order to meet the ever-increasing need for greener energy and considering the vision of the provincial government of Alberta to develop more wind and solar energy, Technostrobe has partnered with Borea Construction to install wind farm beacons on the first large-scale wind power plant approved in Saskatchewan

The project called the Blue Hills is actually the seventh private wind energy project in Saskatchewan.

THE SOLUTION

In response to Transport Canada requirements and project specifications for wind towers reaching above 150m of “tip height”, we installed a double lens beacon (instead of 2 redundant beacons) at the top of the 30 towers as well as our Eclipse model for the side lights. All lights are flashing in a synchronized manner. This equipment is designed to reduce the total cost of the required lighting as well as the cost of future maintenance.

IMPACTS

The side light ECLIPSE solution is installed from inside the tower mast. It is therefore easy to install, to connect electrically and to position because it mounts flush with the wall of the turbine. This design saves the wind turbine owner the expense of hiring a contract crane operator if a light needs to be replaced or repaired in the future. Additionally, because the unit is set in place using magnets, the system requires no screws and was designed to perfectly fit the previous lighting system's holes in the tower (fits in a 3⁄4 inch hole). If the hole is bigger, we provide the necessary bushings for a smooth and secure install

• Can be installed at tower’s manufacturing facility or onsite
• Steady burning or flashing

Product used :

• Redundant lights
• Led Red Beacon (night)
• Side light + Eclipse solutions (lifetime estimated between 15-25 years, 5 years warranty)
  https://technostrobe.com/en/products/low-intensity/eclips

Offshore wind farm project Hollandse Kust Zuid (HKZ) 1-4, Vattenfall

Mandate

Provide advanced aids to navigation and monitoring features for what will be the largest offshore wind farm off the Dutch coast in the North Sea, at the time of completion.

The solution

Supply of temporary aids to navigation for the wind farm. A mix of self-contained marine lanterns and skids featuring fog horns and visibility sensors will ensure safe navigation around the wind farm for the duration of its construction estimated at approximately two years. 

All systems feature remote monitoring with alarms and status updates available to Vattenfall. Our remote monitoring solution will provide a satellite link to ensure real-time communication.

At the end, 100 temporary aids to navigation systems will be deployed for this major offshore wind farm project.

Impacts

• First subsidy-free offshore wind farm, located off the Dutch coast.
• 100 temporary aids to navigation systems produced for the wind farm.
• Electricity production equal to consumption of over 2 million Dutch households.

ADLS Light Manager for wind farm

Mandate

To install, as part of a radar lighting impact mitigation project, an ADLS (Radar) Light Manager that provides for bidirectional communication between the beacons and the control centre.

The solution

The ADLS (Radar) Light Manager is used to receive a signal from a radar unit installed on a wind farm that activates the obstruction lights when an approaching aircraft is detected and turns them off once the aircraft has left the perimeter. This control system makes it possible to obtain confirmation of the date and time an order was received as well as confirmation of the status of the obstruction lights after receiving the order. This vital information is stored in a log that allows owners to provide proof of the proper functioning of the equipment.

Impacts

This solution is one of the components of a system aimed at mitigating the nuisance caused by obstruction lighting. It offers the local community a considerably less luminous environment and reduces light pollution, while keeping the sky safe for pilots. Technostrobe fully met the requirements set out in the mandate of the South Dakota authorities.

National Relamping Project - Bell Canada

Mandate

Provide a turnkey service to Bell to replace incandescent beacons with LED technology on more than 100 of the company’s towers. The project included both the equipment and the services of technicians to perform the installation work in four (4) Canadian provinces.

The solution

The project involved several types of towers for Bell Mobility, Bell Canada and Bell Media:

• Hybrid medium intensity systems for E1 or E2 towers
• High intensity Red/White systems for F2 towers
• Frequency cancellation systems on AM towers

Impacts

The modernization of obstruction lighting systems has helped to ensure the safety of the aviation community and allowed Bell to benefit from substantial energy savings thanks to new LED technologies.

Samuel De Champlain Bridge

Mandate

Provide the new Samuel De Champlain bridge with obstruction lighting and navaids

The solution

This project combines two of our areas of expertise: obstruction lighting systems for air navigation manufactured by Technostrobe and marine navigation aids offered by ITO Navaids. This expertise allows Technostrobe to offer a complete and integrated solution for the security of large structures, both offshore and onshore.

Obstruction lighting systems:
LIDSTM (Lighting Intensity Dimming Solution)
Medium intensity obstruction lighting (2000 cd) – red only for the night

Marine navigation aids:
Marine aids to navigation on the seaway visible at a distance of 5 nautical miles

Impacts

This remotely monitored solution provides the necessary light intensity to protect the tallest bridges in the world.

Controlled remotely, this lighting solution offers the intensity necessary to warn pilots of the presence of an obstacle to avoid and to offer captains on the St. Lawrence Seaway the route to follow in order to navigate safely under the bridge.

LIDS System - Mont Sainte-Marguerite Wind Farm

Mandate

Equip the Mont Sainte-Marguerite wind farm located in Quebec, while minimizing the impact of the lights.

Provide the Mont Sainte-Marguerite wind farm (Quebec, Canada) with the proper obstruction lighting solution in accordance with Transport Canada rules, while minimizing the impact of light beacons on surrounding communities.

The solution had to respond to concerns expressed by the community based on the fact that the region has an astronomical observatory, is populated by dense maple groves that host seasonal educational and festive activities, and benefits many outdoor enthusiasts from all over the world throughout the year.

The solution

The LIDS^TM (Lighting Intensity Dimming Solution) was the preferred solution, making the Mont Sainte-Marguerite wind farm the first wind farm in North America to be equipped with a complete LIDS^TM system, capable of adjusting the light intensity of the obstruction lights according to the actual visibility near the installations.

Installation: 46 turbines, Hub height: 92.5m, Diameter of the rotor: 113M, Siemens 3.2MW.

Impacts

The deployment of this technology, designed by Technostrobe, helps mitigate light pollution and therefore facilitates community acceptance while ensuring the safety of pilots and travelers. Technostrobe fully met the requirements set out in the mandate.

Indeed, the very principle of the LIDS^TM solution is to automatically adapt the light intensity to the surrounding visibility, thus offering the local community a considerably less luminous environment and reducing light pollution, while keeping the sky safe for pilots.