Recent research published in the journal “Remote Sensing” has shed light on the performance of two types of wind profiling lidar systems—pulsed and continuous-wave—when subjected to motion on floating platforms. Conducted by Shokoufeh Malekmohammadi from the Geophysical Institute and Bergen Offshore Wind Centre at the University of Bergen, this study addresses a significant challenge in offshore wind resource assessment: the inaccuracies that arise from the motion of floating lidar systems.
Floating wind lidars are increasingly being deployed to gather data in offshore environments where traditional meteorological masts are impractical and costly. However, these systems can suffer from motion-induced errors, which complicate the accurate measurement of wind speed and turbulence intensity. The research specifically examined the impact of various motion scenarios on the performance of the pulsed WindCube V1 and the continuous-wave ZephIR 300 lidars mounted on a hexapod motion platform.
Malekmohammadi and her team conducted a series of controlled experiments, exposing the lidars to different sinusoidal motion patterns. They discovered that rotational motions, particularly yaw and heave, resulted in the highest discrepancies in wind speed and turbulence intensity measurements. In contrast, surge motion produced the least error. “The correlation between the lidars was lowest in the presence of pitch, yaw, and heave motion,” Malekmohammadi noted, emphasizing the importance of understanding these dynamics for accurate offshore wind assessments.
This research is crucial for the wind energy sector, especially as offshore wind farms continue to expand. Accurate wind measurements are vital for optimizing turbine performance and ensuring efficient energy generation. The findings suggest that implementing motion correction algorithms can significantly mitigate the errors caused by platform movement, enhancing the reliability of wind data collected at sea.
The implications for commercial applications are significant. With better data accuracy, wind farm operators can improve their resource assessments, leading to more efficient turbine placement and operation. This can ultimately result in cost savings and increased energy output, making offshore wind projects more economically viable.
As the demand for renewable energy sources grows, the ability to accurately measure wind conditions using advanced lidar technology presents a promising opportunity for the wind energy sector. This research not only highlights the challenges faced with floating lidar systems but also paves the way for innovations in motion compensation techniques that can enhance data quality in dynamic marine environments.
