Scanning lidar is a type of lidar device with the ability to point the laser in any direction, typically limited approximately to the hemisphere above the device.
Scanning lidars are finding increasing use for wind speed measurements, especially in the field of wind resource assessments for the wind energy industry, both onshore and offshore.
Key advantages:
- Ability to perform 3D measurements for multiple points with a single device
- Fully configurable for 360° monitoring.
- Long-range capability which enables measurements at inaccessible locations.
2EN undertakes to perform Scanning Lidar measurements using WindCube® Scan 400s and has been trained for the installation and monitoring of the system.
Concerning standardization, there is an upcoming IEC standard (61400-50-5), which will be a technical specification for wind measurements using scanning lidars within the domain of wind energy generation systems. Furthermore, the International Energy Agency (IEA) task52 working group in which 2EN participates, aims to write a recommended practice for the use of scanning lidars in offshore measurements.