04/08/2017 - LiDAR and power unit to be deployed at Chouet

Friday 4 August, 2017
As part of its continuing investigation into the local wind resource, the States of Guernsey Renewable Energy Team (RET) are deploying a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) unit at Chouet Headland in the compound alongside the existing anemometer, which has been monitoring wind speed since 2012.

The new unit will allow wind speeds to be measured at a number of heights above the ground, as opposed to the single (10m) height that the existing anemometer measures. The unit does this through remote sensing – sending out a beam of light and measuring the frequency shift of the backscattered light – and the unit is less than 1m tall.

The location of the anemometer, next to the LiDAR unit, will provide a control point which can be used to extrapolate the new data to previous years records.

The LiDAR and power system will be on site for a period of 2 years. A temporary planning permission has been sought and granted. The system will be deployed on Monday 7th August.

The LiDAR will be used to remotely monitor at 5 different heights:
· 10 m – to match the anemometer
. 20.5 m – a control height from the manufacturer
. 54m and 80m – control heights from the supplier and minimum expected height range of potential offshore wind turbines
· 160m – the region of the expected tip height of potential offshore wind turbines.

It is important to note that this is not preliminary research for a land based wind turbine but is the most practical and cost effective way to get reliable recordings of the wind resource on a coastal site.

The unit will be deployed by Exeter University, following a student project to design and build a renewable energy and battery storage power system for the LiDAR. This system will supply 100% of the power requirements of the LiDAR and so the unit shall be completely “off grid”.

The power system comprises a 600W wind turbine on a 6m mast (6.9m to turbine tip), a 900W PV Array (3 panels) and a 10kWh battery system. There is also a warning system built into the design which will inform RET of any potential failures.

The students who have designed the system will be undertaking the installation, and will be support by Guernsey Electricity to ensure that the electrical components are installed correctly and safely. Guernsey Electricity will provide support to maintain the system over the 2 year deployment.

The Renewable Energy Team has secured the LiDAR on a 2 year rental agreement from NEL (TUV SUD Ltd) – a flow measurement specialist – through contacts within Exeter University. NEL will also provide technical support for the LiDAR, and through them the manufacturer, Zephir, is continuing to support the LiDAR.

The States of Guernsey Renewable Energy Team have been continuing to progress the recommendations from the Wind Feasibility report released in May, and this includes the addition of remote sensing equipment at Chouet headland alongside the existing wind monitor.