15 Nov. 2020 – ZX Lidars technology makes the challenging terrain of western Greece no obstacle to a comprehensive and accurate wind measurement campaign.
A new wind measurement campaign is underway in western Greece as part of a major renewable energy power project.
Istos Renewables Ltd. is performing the wind measurement programme using a ZX 300 Lidar together with just a 30-metre-high wind data reference masts.
Recording wind data across the full turbine rotor and beyond top tip height of even the largest wind turbines, the ZX 300 Lidar eliminates the need for a full scale conventional meteorological mast approach.
The combination of a roaming Lidar with only a very short met mast as a fixed, long-term, secondary reference, this bankable methodology cuts cost, reduces the need for working at height and makes establishing the wind profile across the whole site far less time consuming.
With a low visual impact, the low height approach to measurement equipment helps to curb potentially significant business risks while simultaneously reducing project uncertainty. The flexibility afforded by a mobile Lidar unit also gives developers an opportunity to fully explore the wind potential of a site.
Recording at four locations, the latest measurement campaign from Istos is to form a key part of the development of an approximately 160 MW wind power installation that is planned for the location.
Data obtained during the analysis period will support the optimisation of the project both in terms of the final layout and the selection of the ideal wind turbine model, including the rotor diameter and its rated generation capacity.
In addition, while the complex and rocky terrain found in this part of Greece and mountainous regions elsewhere can be challenging for wind measurement, the advanced data capture from a 50Hz Continuous Wave scanning Lidar such as ZX 300 ensures a high degree of accuracy is possible even in the most difficult scenarios.
Petros Theodoropoulos, General Director & Technical Manager of Istos Renewables Ltd, explains: “Our customers are delighted that we are able to offer such a comprehensive wind measurement service from just a handful of locations using the ZX 300 together with a short reference mast. It makes securing the necessary data safer, cheaper and quicker. We look forward to undertaking many more campaigns like this in the coming months and years.”
Operating right across Greece and the eastern Mediterranean, Istos has installed more than 280 wind masts to date and has undertaken projects also in Africa and West Asia. More than a decade ago Istos adopted the latest Lidar technology and became a Trusted Service Provider for ZX Lidars across the region.