Capstone Power Development will be relying on Pentalum Technologies’ SpiDAR wind Lidar to provide real-time wind speed measurements at four Ontario wind farms reaching commercial operation in 2016.

Meteorological monitoring data such as wind speed, wind direction, temperature, and barometric pressure are required at wind power facilities. This data help system operators understand weather conditions which could impact generation. Traditionally, installing a large meteorological tower can prove very costly in terms of materials, maintenance, and permitting.

“Choosing to measure these variables using a compact ground-based LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) device makes financial sense for Capstone,” says Grant Qualley, General Manager for Pentalum Technologies.

Pentalum’s SpiDAR was developed in 2011 and has been deployed over 300 times on five continents. The SpiDAR uses patented direct-detection technology to measure wind speed and direction up to 200 m above ground level. It has been utilized in wind energy applications, pollution monitoring, and wildfire mitigation.

The post Capstone Power Dev. to use Pentalum Tech’s Lidar to measure wind speeds appeared first on Windpower Engineering & Development.

Using common off the shelf components with a architectural structure and measurement methods patented by Pentalum, lets the company provide simultaneous, accurate, and reliable measurements of wind speed at multiple sites, at a cost per site significantly lower than existing technologies.

Wind measurements are crucial to establishing the daily operations of a wind farm. A few of the tools and sensors commercially available include anemometers, meteorological towers, wind LiDARs and Sodars often lack accuracy, are difficult to position, they’re costly or, insufficiently flexible to be simultaneously used in multiple positions in the wind farm.

The SpiDAR lidar

The uniqueness of Pentalum’s technology, says the company, is in its exploitation of technology and components used in unrelated fields, such as optics and telecom, to create innovative solutions in wind technology. Using common off the shelf components, such as Exploit lasers, detectors, and optical components, together with a unique architectural structure and measurement methods patented by Pentalum, lets the company provide simultaneous, accurate, and reliable measurements of wind speed at multiple sites, at a cost per site significantly lower than existing technologies.

SpiDAR central control unit 

To provide wind farms with a complete solution, Pentalum has developed the SPIDAR Central Control Unit (CCU).  It collects wind data from each of the SpiDAR’s out in the field through a secure web-based system, presenting data in a clear and easy to use dashboard. Information transfers directly from sensors to the control unit every 10 minutes by a satellite up-link (or GPRS in certain regions of the world), and allows for real time monitoring and control.

The SpiDAR CCU is a powerful wind-analysis software that lets users view, compare, and analyze wind conditions directly from data received in real time, as well as to remotely manage and control the SpiDAR in the field.

Pentalum Technologies
www.pentalum.com

The post New Lidar unit and software promise accuracy to rival met masts appeared first on Windpower Engineering & Development.

The SpiDAR Lidar can measure wind speeds up to 200m, in 10m increments and with an accuracy of ±2%.

The Pentalum SpiDAR is a wind LIght Detection And Ranging (Lidar) system that the company says is changing wind measurement and improving wind farm profitability. The SpiDAR is a cost effective, patent-pending, pulsed wind Lidar system for remote wind sensing. The unit’s architecture allows using common, reliable components to maintain a low production cost – a saving that is passed onto purchasers – and making it affordable enough the let wind-farm developers and operators deploy multiple units on a single site, thereby proving more precise wind measurements. The high performance, portable SpiDAR system comes with a solar power pack for really remote operations, deploys easily, and provides accurate, reliable wind data.

SecondWind
www.secondwind.com

The post Second Wind unwraps a Lidar appeared first on Windpower Engineering & Development.