National Council decides

End to permanent lighting of wind turbines

In future, wind turbines and other installations may no longer be illuminated permanently, but only when necessary. This is the case, for example, when an aircraft approaches them. The National Council thus decided to end mandatory night lighting.

The corresponding amendment to the law passed the National Council unanimously on Thursday. Implementation is the responsibility of Austro Control. According to Transport and Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens), the amendment to the law is intended to further increase public acceptance of wind power. Alois Stöger (SPÖ) spoke of a measure against light pollution.

The FPÖ also said that flashing could be perceived as annoying in densely built-up areas, but that wind turbines had to be illuminated in certain situations. "Otherwise there will be problems, for example when rescue helicopters are deployed," said FPÖ technology spokesperson Gerhard Deimek. 

Night-time landings will be less bureaucratic
MEPs also voted on Thursday to allow civilian airfields to be used for rescue flights outside of operating hours. "Emergency helicopter missions in Austria are carried out within a very narrow framework and with the closest possible documentation," explained Hermann Weratschnig, transport spokesperson for the Greens, in a press release. This makes it all the more important to create legal certainty for pilots in the Aviation Act.

According to the Greens, only a small proportion of emergency helicopters in Austria are currently capable of flying at night and are operational 24 hours a day. Night flights account for around five percent of all helicopter missions. A solution for rescue flights in bad weather is also said to have already been put in place. The new regulation is due to enter the review phase in the coming days.