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A LiDAR remote sensing unit supplied by NEL is providing a practical and cost-effective way for the States of Guernsey to obtain reliable recordings of its coastal wind resources.
“Our equipment and support will help policy makers in Guernsey determine the renewable power generation and supply route they will go down in the future,” explains Leon Youngs, Business Leader for Mobile Testing Services. “This link-up was made possible through contacts within Exeter University, which is also involved in the project.”
The LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) unit is being deployed by the States of Guernsey Renewable Energy Team (RET) at Chouet Headland alongside an existing anemometer, which has been monitoring wind speed since 2012. The project is part of RET’s continuing investigation into Guernsey’s local wind resources.
NEL is supplying the LiDAR system to RET through a two-year rental agreement. NEL is also providing technical support to ensure the accuracy of the data that is collected. This is being done alongside the manufacturer, Zephir.
The LiDAR unit, which operates by sending out a beam of light and measuring the frequency shift of the backscattered light, will allow wind speeds to be measured at a number of heights above the ground.
The LiDAR unit will be on site for a period of two years. It was deployed in August by Exeter University, following a student project to design and build a renewable energy and battery storage power unit for the system. This will supply 100% of the power requirements of the LiDAR, allowing the unit to be completely off-grid.
