The creation of the OWA roadmap created a clear framework for both suppliers and users of floating lidar systems (FLS), defining a ‘stage’ based structure that has helped qualify new technology and allow the offshore developer to understand the measurement capability of the floating lidar type they are using.

Since its creation a number of suppliers have reached Stage 3 maturity, an accolade that means the FLS supplier has shown consistent performance over a number of trials and wind measurement campaigns. New suppliers continue to enter the market, supported by the technology maturity pathway laid out clearly in the OWA roadmap, creating competition and choice within the market. This new version (Version 3.0) builds on the accepted framework, adding turbulence intensity (TI) measurement capability assessment.

Turbulence Intensity is a key parameter in offshore wind engineering, which helps establish the build and environmental conditions in which the offshore wind development will operate. Until now, this parameter has not had a clear testing protocol to follow to establish the measurement accuracy of an FLS campaign.

To address this, Version 3.0 introduces the new ‘+’ designation and describes how this fits into the current stage maturity structure, as well as the testing protocol to be followed and the error metrics to be calculated.

Accurate assessment of TI is crucial in trying to improve the understanding of offshore wakes and optimise structural design offshore, helping the offshore wind industry achieve greater cost benefits.

This project was executed by Oldbaum Services Limited and Fraunhofer IWES on behalf of the Offshore Wind Accelerator, project managed by the Carbon Trust.

The basis of this work was established through the careful analysis of 22 datasets from five suppliers, supplying both reference and measured datasets.