Outdated military regulations hamper offshore wind development: report

Despite recommendations to update the regulations, no concrete plans have been formulated

Author: Jung Da-hyun

The Ministry of National Defense has faced criticism for applying outdated height restrictions that hamper the expansion of offshore wind farms. As the urgency of the energy transition increases in response to climate change, these outdated standards are seen as a significant obstacle to progress.

A report published on Monday by Solutions for Our Climate (SFOC) highlighted the need for the Ministry of Defense to update its decades-old regulations to support the development of the offshore wind industry. SFOC is a non-profit organization.

According to the report, the Ministry of Defense currently limits the height of offshore wind turbines at 500 feet, or about 152.4 meters.

This is in line with the Act on the Protection of Military Bases and Facilities, which requires the ministry to assess the impact of such facilities on military operations in protected zones.

The report criticizes the ministry for adjusting regulations for turbines above 150 meters without clear justification, citing concerns that turbine blades could interfere with radar networks.

SFOC also argues that these outdated restrictions hinder the development of renewable energy sources crucial to combating climate change.

Due to these regulations, a total of 29 offshore wind projects in Jeju, Incheon and South Jeolla provinces did not obtain permits in 2022, which was opposed by the Ministry of Defense at the review stage.

From 2013 to January last year, only four of 70 projects met the ministry’s standards.

The SFOC report concludes that the ministry’s regulations are outdated.

It notes that while the average height of global offshore wind turbines was about 204 meters in 2022, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, the 150-meter limit set by the Korean Ministry of Defense reflects the average standard from 12 years ago.

After applying these military standards, only 0.5% of planned offshore wind projects will be allowed to continue.

As of December last year, only two of Korea’s 48 proposed offshore wind projects met the military’s stringent requirements, according to SFOC.

The Ministry of Defense argues that the rotating blades of offshore wind turbines can interfere with military radars, creating unnecessary signals or making it difficult to identify objects behind the blades.

However, countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia with offshore wind development are reported to be developing technologies that enable long-term coexistence of wind turbines with air defense systems and radars.

Australia has even raised the permitted height for offshore wind turbines to 260 meters if they are located outside operational zones, highlighting a more adaptive approach to integrating renewable energy with military needs.

The government is also aware of the problems of these regulations. In 2018, the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission recommended that the Minister of National Defense reform the system, citing excessive violation of property rights by the regulations, including those relating to the construction of offshore wind farms.

Moreover, in June last year, the Ministry of Economy and Finance called for action to remove military operational restrictions hindering the development of offshore wind farms. The Government Policy Coordination Office also considered the current height limit to be excessive and expressed a desire to revise it.

Despite these concerns and recommendations, no concrete plans have yet been formulated. The defense ministry was not immediately available for comment.