A challenge that is growing alongside Australia’s wind energy sector: the impact of wind turbines on radio communication networks.

Australia’s transition to net zero is accelerating wind farm development at pace. The country’s wind energy market generated 33.4 TWh in 2023 and is forecast to reach 141.4 TWh by 2032, a compound annual growth rate of 15.7%. That is a fourfold increase in less than a decade, reshaping the energy landscape across regional and remote Australia.

Alongside the opportunity comes a significant and often underestimated engineering challenge: the impact of wind turbines on existing radio communication networks.

Why wind turbines affect communications

Wind turbines are large, rotating structures made from conductive and composite materials. As they spin, they can interfere with RF signals through physical obstruction, signal diffraction and scattering, near-field electromagnetic effects, and direct emissions from turbine electrical systems.

These effects can disrupt both privately operated networks and public carrier and government infrastructure, from microwave backhaul links and 4G/5G to emergency services radio and meteorological radar.

The scope of impact is wider than most expect

The range of potentially affected networks extends well beyond what most wind farm developers anticipate at the planning stage. Private networks, carrier infrastructure, and government systems can all fall within a wind farm’s zone of influence, and the consequences of disruption in sectors such as mining, energy, utilities, and emergency services can be serious.

Why early assessment matters

Identifying communication impacts after a wind farm is built is a costly and constrained problem to solve. Conducting a structured RF impact study during the planning phase gives developers, network operators, and regulators a clear picture of the risks and the mitigation options available before construction begins.

As Chris Upstone, BAI’s Director of Public and Private Networks, notes: “Wind turbines don’t just generate power, they can disrupt the communications infrastructure communities and industries depend on. Understanding that risk before construction begins is not optional.”

In our whitepaper, we cover the full range of networks at risk, the methodology behind a thorough RF impact assessment, and the key considerations for wind farm developers navigating this challenge.

Download the whitepaper to learn more.