Lidar-based turbine power performance launched in Europe

8th January 2016

ZephIR Lidar

Jordan Mulcare

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“With lidar-based wind measurements, taken with the ZephIR DM wind lidar, we are able to offer customers a new completely independent power performance test and optimisation for their wind turbines. ZephIR DM is the only lidar capable of full rotor diameter wind measurements, delivering a power curve measurement equivalent to current and future IEC guidelines. BBB has been working with lidar systems now for over five years and we look forward to bringing this new service to the European wind energy market.” – Klaus Bergmann, General Manager, BBB Umwelttechnik.

At EWEA 2015, BBB confirmed plans to deliver this new Performance Assessment & Optimisation Service for Wind Turbines which includes:

Detailed SCADA analysis to identify potential underperformance within wind farms
Ground-based assessment of flow conditions with ZephIR DM in ground-based mode
Power Curve Assessment of specific turbines with ZephIR DM in turbine-mounted mode
Nacelle Transfer Function assessment with gathered wind field information
Sensor Calibration assessment
Corrective action and re-assessment

This new independent service is designed to increase the opportunity for maximum Annual Energy Production within a wind farm in addition to reducing maintenance costs associated with mis-calibrated sensors controlling the turbine. Ian Locker, MD at ZephIR Lidar, was delighted at the service launch commenting: “Owners and operators of wind farms are now able to contract an independent engineering consultant to provide complete turbine performance assessments with ZephIR DM, to optimise their asset and reduce the chance of unnecessary maintenance costs. We look forward to working with BBB and sharing lidar and analysis best practice over the years to come.”

BBB is one of the longest standing consultancy users of lidars and since 1996 has provided developers, utilities and investors with qualified technical and commercial consulting services. The company holds the vice-chairmanship of the wind expert advisory board of the German Wind Energy Association (Bundesverband WindEnergie e.V.) and is part of the technical committees of the Society for the Promotion of Wind Energy (Fördergesellschaft Windenergie).

ZephIR DM is a unique Dual-Mode wind lidar for turbine-mounted, high resolution, full rotor wind measurements upwind of a wind turbine from 10 to 300+m to benchmark turbine performance, identify opportunities for increased production and inform O&M strategies. All with the added functionality of ground-based deployments from the same core product.