MidAmerican to Install More Aircraft Detection Systems for Wind Turbines

New systems will keep turbine warning lights off until needed, reducing light pollution.

Published on Mar. 1, 2026

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MidAmerican Energy Company announced plans to install six additional aircraft detection systems at its wind farms in Iowa. These systems automatically activate the required red warning lights atop wind turbines only when aircraft are detected nearby, keeping the lights off the majority of the time and reducing light pollution.

Why it matters

The blinking red lights on wind turbines are required by the FAA to alert pilots, but can be disruptive to nearby communities. MidAmerican's aircraft detection systems aim to balance aviation safety with reducing unnecessary light pollution.

The details

MidAmerican has been testing the aircraft detection system since 2023 and says it has been successful, keeping the turbine lights off 95-98% of the time. The company operates 38 wind farms across 34 Iowa counties and plans to install the new systems at additional locations.

  • MidAmerican began testing the aircraft detection system in 2023.
  • MidAmerican plans to install six more of the systems in the near future.

The players

MidAmerican Energy Company

An electric and natural gas utility company that provides service to customers in Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska and South Dakota, and is a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Energy.

Geoff Greenwood

A spokesperson for MidAmerican Energy Company.

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What they’re saying

“It has really gone well. It dramatically reduces the amount of lighting at the wind farms where we have this system installed, and we've gotten a lot of public compliments out of it. People notice it. They notice that the lights are off at night.”

— Geoff Greenwood, Spokesperson (kbur.com)

What’s next

MidAmerican plans to install six more aircraft detection systems at its wind farms in the coming months.

The takeaway

MidAmerican's investment in aircraft detection technology demonstrates how renewable energy companies can balance safety regulations with environmental concerns like light pollution, benefiting both aviation and local communities.