Taiwan’s NCKU Launches Floating LiDAR to Assess Offshore Wind

National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), southern Taiwan, launched its floating LiDAR, an offshore wind resource assessment buoy, May 24, at Tainan Hydraulics Laboratory.

“It is the Asia No. 1 and World No.4 of Floating LiDAR applications in wind profiler measurement at sea,” said NCKU President Hwung-Hweng Hwung at the launching ceremony.

He added, “This will be the first time that laser wind sensing technology will be used on a floating platform to measure Asia offshore wind resources.”

The launching ceremony was performed by the NCKU president’s wife throwing a champagne bottle.

“The offshore research buoy manufactured by AXYS Technologies Inc. is called the WindSentinel™, which is the world’s first wind resource assessment buoy capable of gathering wind data offshore at turbine hub-height and across the blade span,” according to Reo Philips, AXYS Director of Operations.

Philips said, “Here in Taiwan, you have one of the best resources in Asia possibly in the world in the Taiwan Strait. You also have some of the best technology as recognized as global leader in high-tech industry with very strong economy.”

“So this will allow you to take advantage of renewable resources and gain your independence from the rest of the world for your energy production,” added Philips.

“The WindSentinel™ will provide extended season, real-time in-water data using the most advanced wind testing equipment,” explained Professor Ta-Hui Lin, the director of Master Program of National Science and Technology Program-Energy (NSTPE) on Offshore Wind Power.

Lin said, “The flexibility and mobility of the buoy and significant cost and time savings compared to constructing a meteorological tower with traditional anemometer instrumentation will provide a new level of highly mobile research capacity that is able to explore the potential of possible future offshore wind development on the Taiwan Strait.”

National Cheng Kung University participates in the NSTPE, which is supported by the National Science Council (NSC), to promote the Master Program on Offshore Wind Power.

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Press release, May 28, 2013; Image: NCKU