Taking the sting out of wind assessment

Thus far, developers have constructed meteorological masts to collect comprehensive wind information. These masts, however, are approximately 100m tall and typically cost around $5m to design and install. Once construction approval is granted (a lengthy process itself), the mast can take about a year to build.

However, an offshore wind assessment buoy from AXYS Technologies has been developed that costs substantially less, can be deployed within six months of purchase, and requires minimal regulatory approvals and minimal permitting. Once deployed, the WindSentinel device can be moved to other locations, allowing significant flexibility in the data gathering process.

However, the data gathering processes themselves need checking.

So, to support the data gathered using the buoy, one of the company’s clients has turned to renewable energy consultancy GL Garrad Hassan in order to develop a protocol that aims to validate the data they are gathering and ensure that the WindSentinel meets its objectives.

The WindSentinel uses a Vindicator Laser Wind Sensor (LWS) as its primary wind assessment tool. The Vindicator measures wind data using three pulsed lasers to obtain atmospheric measurements without the need for a traditional meteorological tower. As part of the process, the unit’s measurements are evaluated against fixed reference measurements in a two phase test campaign.

This demonstrates the accuracy of the collected data and the efficacy of the onboard motion compensation algorithms that mitigate the influence of the dynamic buoy motion on the readings. Once consistency between the two sets of data has been established, the device may be deployed in the desired assessment location.

Graham Howe of AXYS Technologies explained, “By following GL Garrad Hassan’s protocol, our clients can maximize the value of the data gathered from the WindSentinel, enabling them to significantly accelerate the pace of their project and show valid data to their backers.”