China’s Goldwind Science & Technology has installed the wind lidar system ZephIR DM by Beijing New Energy Technology Ltd. (BNET) on the company’s 6MW prototype offshore wind turbine.
Goldwind has confirmed that ZephIR lidar systems will be used to measure power curves and to understand the effects of wind flow propagation on the performance of the prototype direct drive permanent magnet turbine before it enters mass production.
Working with DNV GL, the 6MW turbine will then be certified using ZephIR wind data before the programme begins to focus on lidar-assisted control.
Both turbine and lidar are now operating at a test site in Dafeng, Jiangsu Province on the country’s eastern coast.
In March 2015, Goldwind decided to accelerate the pace of development of the 6MW turbine, moving all funding to the Dafeng manufacturing base tasked with building the turbine.
The direct drive machine, which has a rotor diameter of 150 metres, is the result of an upgrade from a previous 5MW turbine development project.