Wind profiling using LiDAR at a coastal location on the Mediterranean Island of Malta

Abstract

Wind measurement campaigns usually involve the installation of a wind monitoring mast equipped with multiple-level sensors at a fixed location in order to measure wind and other climatological parameters that reflect prospective wind turbine installation site conditions. With the introduction of larger multi-megawatt wind turbines, monitoring masts need to be taller and are hence more expensive. As such developments unfold; measurements in an offshore environment are becoming even more challenging. Consequently, remote sensing systems such as Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) systems are gaining popularity since they are able to provide accurate information on wind flow at heights which surpass those of conventional wind monitoring masts. In June 2014, a LiDAR system was deployed on a historical coastal watch tower at Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq on the Mediterranean Island of Malta. One year of data, starting from July 2015 to June 2016 was collected from a LiDAR unit for 10 heights extending up to 200 m above the LiDAR unit’s window. This data allowed for detailed analysis of wind speed shear, wind direction shear and turbulence behaviour.