Mainstream Renewable Power has deployed the North Sea’s first commercial floating LiDAR wind measurement device, designed to capture wind data in the harshest conditions, to support its proposed 450MW Neart Na Gaoithe offshore wind farm.
A deal has been signed with technology providers FLiDAR NV, for the launch of the floating LiDAR to the site almost 16km off the Fife Coast in early 2014.
Prior to its launch at the Neart na Gaoithe site, the floating LiDAR is being validated at Narec’s newly installed Offshore Anemometry and Research Platform located off the coast of Blyth, Northumberland. Validation commenced on January 14th 2014 and is expected to take approximately 3 months.
The FLiDAR consists of state-of-the-art measurement equipment including a buoy adapted Leosphere LiDAR mounted on a standard marine buoy and powered by its own renewable energy system comprising solar photovoltaic and wind power technology.
FLiDAR technology signals a significant shift from the reliance on fixed offshore meteorological (met) masts in assessing the potential wind resource for offshore wind farms.
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Press release, January 14, 2014; Image: flidar