Wind farm developer look to lidars for answer

“The ZephIR 300 allows us to use onsite data to optimise the windfarm layout prior planning submission without the need of metmasts, avoiding the planning implications around that in the early project stages. For our full anemometry campaign the Zephir 300 has extended the life of our existing fleet of metmasts, which are too short for a post ROC higher hub height world. EnergieKontor has evaluated multiple methods and other similar products available to achieve the best return on our investment and has selected ZephIR 300 wind lidar. The ZephIR 300 is proven to add significant percentage improvements on the accuracy of our wind estimations, in addition to its mobility on and around sites, ease of installation and safety improvements over conventional anemometry with no requirement for working at height as well as a great service team based in the UK.”

EnergieKontor develop, finance, construct and operate onshore wind and Solar. EnergieKontor has operations in Germany, UK, Netherlands, France and Portugal. In the UK EnergieKontor has seven operating sites totalling 86.3MW, they also have over 400MW under development, of which about 80MW is awaiting planning determination. This announcement confirms the purchase of multiple ZephIR 300 wind lidar units for mobilisation across these sites ranging from benign to forested and complex and will replace the current approach of solely installing meteorological masts. ZephIR 300 data is accepted within formal energy assessments by leading technical consultancy DNV GL who supported EnergieKontor in this drive towards the Lowest Cost of Energy.

The wind lidars have been provided along with ZephIR Power – a fully mobile fuel-cell based solution for delivering remote, off-grid power with months of autonomy built in to the ruggedized trailer solution. The first deployments were completed early August across multiple UK sites. ZephIR 300 measures wind characteristics at heights above and beyond traditional met masts from just 10m (33ft) up to 200m (656ft) above the installed position. ZephIR 300 is accurate, reliable and affordable with every system uniquely subjected to an industry-approved validation process, part of which occurs at the UK’s Lidar and Sodar test site, ensuring repeatable finance-grade data.

Alex Woodward, Head of Product Development at ZephIR Lidar, commented: “It has been an extremely satisfying process working with EnergieKontor, understanding their requirements to optimise their wind projects well before ground is even broken. ZephIR 300 offers a real chance to ensure that project finances are calculated on the most accurate wind information available to a developer, and EnergieKontor has grasped this opportunity with both hands deploying a fleet of wind lidars across their development portfolio.”

Independent studies show that wind farm project uncertainty can be reduced by several percent through a combination of vertical and horizontal measurement uncertainties associated with traditional met mast campaigns – read here.

Significant bodies of data collected by ZephIR 300 lead to industry acceptance by leading consultants and Banks Engineers – read here.

Over 240 IEC compliant met mast performance verifications of ZephIR 300 have been conducted, in additional to wind tunnel tests, demonstrating the outstanding and repeatable performance of ZephIR 300.