Can you use wind lidar to provide quantitative data for the annual energy prediction (P50, P75 and P90) of a modern scale wind farm, allowing developers to raise the necessary finance to progress and construct full-scale developments?
The use of lidar should be considered in specific modes of applications with differing demands. These applications are summarised as onshore (benign site), Offshore (fixed platform), Onshore (complex site) and Offshore (floating platform)
The wind industry’s original wind lidar system, ZephIR, which has the longest operational track record of all commercially available lidar systems in this application is uniquely a continuous wave (CW) lidar. CW lidar offers specific advantages in all applications noted and this should be considered when purchasing a remote sensing device, such as lidar.
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Resources
Windpower Monthly Expert Report: Can the wind industry bank on wind lidar to deliver more accurate annual energy predictions?
DNV GL considers ZephIR 300 to be at Stage 3 under “benign” conditions – accepted for use in bankable / finance-grade wind speed and energy assessments with either no or limited on-site met mast comparisons. In October 2012 ZephIR was the first commercial wind lidar system to achieve accreditation at this level.
ZephIR 300 verified against IEC compliant Lelystad met mast – “The verification report shows that the uncertainty at all heights measured by ZephIR is low after comparing it with the IEC compliant TSL-MM02/03 met mast. Ecofys WTTS deems that the ZephIR 300 is suitable for field measurements as a replacement of cup anemometers in flat terrain.” Erik Holtslag, Ecofys WTTS Operational Manager. Visit www.ecofyswtts.com for more information.