Analysis by Leading Industry Experts Reinforces that the WindSentinelTM can Produce Data Sets that Reduce Cost of Energy for Offshore Wind Developers
[Nov 27, 2019–British Columbia, Canada] AXYS was the first organization to innovate and launch a Floating LiDAR Solution (FLS) into the industry and has been delivering wind assessment data since 2009 to leading wind farm developers around the globe. Over the last ten years, the company has conducted 19 independent assessments of the accuracy of the unit against various meteorological masts around the world with several more verification assessments underway. To provide further evidence for traceable uncertainty estimates using the technology, AXYS engaged a collection of recognized industry experts — Multiversum, Frazer-Nash and DNV GL– to complete independent classification studies which determine empirically the sensitivity of the FLiDAR® to environmental parameters experienced at the given performance verification sites so that they can be understood in the context of the measurement campaign site. The first of these classification studies is complete, making possible a traceable uncertainty assessment for the unit’s deployment to a development site, and a significant milestone towards achieving Stage 3 maturity.
FLS are deployed during the initial project development phase to measure metocean conditions including wind resource, from which offshore wind developers make investment and design decisions. Uncertainty is calculated from a combination of factors including verification uncertainty as well as how sensitive the FLS is to environmental factors such as air temperature, wind shear, wind veer, turbulence intensity, barometric pressure, FLS pitch &, roll, wave direction, significant wave height and peak wave period. Higher wind speed measurement uncertainties placed on the data from a FLS can directly impact the project’s cost of finance and the capital costs from design choices.
“Our clients trust us to secure metocean data that is critical to the development of their offshore wind farm projects, and we understand that increasing the certainty of measurements collected by our FLiDAR® buoys will deliver direct added value for our client’s project economics.” said PS Reilly AXYS CEO and President. “This study illustrates the strength of the AXYS FLiDAR WindSentinelTM design and the technology’s ability to contribute to drivers for lowering the Cost of Energy (CoE) which are critical for the Offshore Wind Energy sector.”
Without a classification uncertainty study, offshore wind developers will be required to potentially accept from their own analysts or the bank’s technical advisors a more conservative approach to define the overall wind speed measurement uncertainty. This Study followed the approach of the IEC 61400-12-1, Ed.2 Standard and the Carbon Trust – Lidar Uncertainty Standard Methodology Review and Recommendations to examine wind speed accuracy across a wide range of measurement heights and environmental parameters. The recently completed AXYS classification study provides the rationale for a reduction in classification uncertainty of similar magnitude to be achieved, provided the verification and application sites have similar environmental conditions. Coupled with the verification uncertainty studies already done, the classification study results provide AXYS clients and their 3rd party engineers the independent verification of the AXYS FLiDAR WindSentinelTM buoy’s ability to accurately collect the data in the variety of sea states represented by these offshore projects and allows them to derive a highly accurate and defensible assessment of the wind speed measurement uncertainty.
“We are pleased to confirm the completion of a classification study conforming with Stage 3 maturity requirements. The comprehensive nature of available environmental variable sensors has provided confidence in the completeness of the classification procedure.” – Brian Gribben, Frazer-Nash Consultancy.
“This first out of three classification studies already gives valuable input allowing for concise and fully traceable wind data uncertainty assessments, and it provides encouraging evidence to understand under which environmental conditions this FLS type is capable to compete with classical anemometry in terms of wind data accuracy. Furthermore, it underlines that AXYS is on a good way to comply with all Carbon Trust Roadmap requisites to be industry accepted as a fully commercialized product.” Detlef Stein, Multiversum GmbH.
“Understanding the measurement sensitivities of the AXYS FLiDAR WindSentinelTM on environmental parameters is a major step towards achieving Stage 3 maturity. A classification uncertainty is a crucial input into a wind resource assessment measurement uncertainty.” Bastian Schmidt, DNV GL.
This is the first of three classification studies this consortium of independent experts will perform on the FLiDAR WindSentinelTM data towards an eventual Stage 3 judgement of the AXYS FLiDAR WindSentinelTM. The second classification study will be done using data collected during a verification trial in the Irish Sea which is expected to significantly benefit AXYS’ upcoming Irish measurement campaigns.
“Our FLiDAR® systems are placed in some of the most extreme places in the world – extreme temperature swings, high waves and currents, strong winds,” said Reilly. “This study proves what we’ve known all along, that with our hull design and system engineering we can reliably secure accurate data even from the harshest environments.”
For more information on this classification study please visit us at WindEurope or contact us at flidar@axys.com.
About AXYS
AXYS Technologies (AXYS) is an ISO 9001 registered company headquartered in Canada celebrating 45 years of experience in the design, manufacture and installation of remote environmental monitoring systems worldwide, including land-based, floating, subsea, and ship or tower mounted. Offshore, AXYS applies knowledge and experience to marine, freshwater, and far offshore assessment systems that measure aquatic, oceanic, and atmospheric parameters specific to clients’ needs. AXYS has built and commissioned more than 800 meteorological and oceanographic systems of various types around the world, in over 75 countries, and together with our partners we have managed over fifty turnkey validation and full metocean campaigns to support the offshore wind industry. See more at www.axys.com.
