Carbon Trust Backs Dual Doppler Radar Testing

Though its Offshore Wind Accelerator (OWA), the Carbon Trust is backing trial to understand the viability of using dual Doppler radar to produce high-resolution dynamic maps of the wind flow through and around a wind farm.

Recently announced, the measurement campaign is part of OWA partner Dong Energy’s BEACon (Beamed Radar for Energy Assessment and Site Conditions) research and development project.

Two radar units will be installed in 2016 on the UK east coast near the Westermost Rough Offshore Wind Farm which is currently under construction. The 18 month measurement campaign, will focus on wind farm wakes, power curve measurements and wind turbine load validation.

Unlike meteorological masts, fixed and floating LIDAR, dual Doppler radar can scan over the entire site in a short time frame with unprecedented range and resolution, resulting in a holistic snap shot of wind behaviour around a wind farm.

Megan Smith, OWA Wakes and Wind Resource Research project manager commented: “Understanding how wind flows through a wind farm is a critical aspect of reducing costs through improving turbine layouts, minimising adverse loads on the turbines, and improving confidence in wake models.”

Jesper Skov Gretlund, project manager, Wind Power R&D, DONG Energy added: “We are extremely pleased to have the Carbon Trust OWA on board the BEACon Project. This will anchor the project within the offshore wind Industry and furthermore the involvement of Carbon Trust OWA is a quality stamp for the BEACon Project and its targets towards lowering the cost of energy for offshore wind. The dual Doppler project has the potential to significantly benefit the offshore wind industry through significant cost reduction of capital expenditure.”

The BEACon project leads on from previous OWA projects on offshore wind measurements, including the floating LIDAR trials and the recently concluded wake effects measurement campaign at Rødsand II wind farm.