The Energy research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN) has conducted tests to validate and subsequently approve Mitsubishi Electric’s compact wind lidar as complying with European wind measurement standards. The lidar (portmanteau of “light” and “radar”) is a remote sensing apparatus that projects a laser beam and then evaluates the reflected light to measure wind speed. Mitsubishi Electric’s lidar, which uses a laser beam safe for human eyes, can measure wind remotely at multiple altitudes for accurate assessment and prediction of wind-turbine power generation. It also eliminates the need for costly meteorological masts.
Meteorological masts, which are used conventionally to assess local wind prior to constructing a wind farm, only measure wind at fixed points. Also, the growing size of commercial turbines is requiring increasingly taller masts, which is contributing to higher construction costs for meteorological masts.
