Lidar to boost productivity at offshore wind farm

ZephIR Dual Mode (DM) is a continuous wave wind lidar, installed on the nacelle of a turbine and uniquely provides rotor equivalent wind measurements out in advance of a wind turbine from just 10m, well within the blade induction zone, and as far as 300m. The circular scan from ZephIR DM provides a representative wind picture that the turbine sees, in contrast to more basic systems that provide only a pillar-box view on the approaching wind.

Measurements are then typically used for the correction of yaw misalignment, turbine calibrations, End of Warranty inspections, power curve measurements (absolute and relative), R&D projects and full turbine control. The Dual Mode function also allows for ground-based installations in front of turbines onshore for further analysis.

Lincs Offshore Wind Farm was officially opened by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg on 1^st August 2013. Construction started in 2010, with first power achieved in August 2012, and the last of the Siemens 3.6 MW turbines lifted into place in March 2013. The Centrica O&M team will use ZephIR DM as a permanent tool for the wind farm, to monitor and safeguard individual turbine performance and overall energy production.

“The effective operation of our renewable energy generating assets such as the Lincs Wind Farm is key,” said Martin Stanyon, Performance Manager at Centrica Energy. “The turbine-mounted ZephIR DM, allows us to accurately measure the performance of each turbine on Lincs, easily identifying areas for increased production through O&M strategies such as corrected yaw misalignment.”

Ian Locker, Managing Director, ZephIR Lidar, commented: “We are very pleased to see ZephIR wind lidar technology being adopted in to the core operational strategy of wind farms onshore, and with Lincs, offshore. Our customers tell us that they are seeing real production improvements through high-resolution advanced wind measurements delivered by ZephIR DM.”