Fraunhofer IWES, Oldbaum Services and TotalEnergies are working together to assess the accuracy and potential of dual-Doppler scanning lidar systems for offshore wind energy. The project involves measurement campaigns in Great Britain and Japan, where two synchronized lidar devices are used to collect wind data at distances of up to 10 kilometres offshore.
The data will be compared with measurements from offshore met masts to evaluate the accuracy of the lidar systems, with a focus on wind speed and turbulence.
Scanning lidar systems are becoming more commonly used in wind energy projects for gathering data on wind resources. The ongoing tests, which started in August and October 2024, aim to determine whether lidar technology can provide reliable offshore measurements as an alternative to traditional met masts or floating lidar buoys. The study will also examine how different lidar systems perform under various environmental conditions.
The results of this research could help offshore wind farm developers obtain accurate wind measurements without needing additional infrastructure. The project is set to run until June 2025.
