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RWE Innogy installed metocean buoy in the Dutch North Sea

Essen/IJmuiden, Netherlands - The offshore windfarm Eneco Luchterduinen and RWE Innogy are testing a new and innovative metocean buoy that has been installed in the Dutch North Sea.

The buoy has been deployed for a six month validation period nearby the already existing IJmuiden met-mast of RWE Innogy, some 75 km west off IJmuiden in the Tromp Binnen wind farm area. The floating platform with a diameter of 2.8 meter and a weight of around 1.7 tonnes is collecting data on wind, current, wave and ambient conditions. An independent analyst will evaluate the data, with the results expected to be available in summer 2014. The project is co-funded by FLOW (Far and Large Offshore Wind), a research and development programme sponsored by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs.

Target: 10-20 per cent cost reduction The aim of the test is to find a cost efficient offshore measurement solution as an alternative for expensive fixed met-masts. Therefore, the measurement data recorded by the metocean buoy will be validated against the data of the IJmuiden met-mast. The buoy is equipped with a LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) device, a laser-based technology which is able to perform remote measurements of wind speed and direction. The SEAWATCH Wind LiDAR Buoy costs 10 to 20 per cent as much as a conventional met-mast and makes a significant contribution to reducing offshore wind development costs.

Third testing and validation campaign "Wind and wave data is of fundamental importance for the development, construction and operation of offshore wind farms. Affordable non-stationary equipment for accurate assessment of wind resources can improve the measuring methodology and ultimately reduce costs for offshore wind projects



Source: IWR Online, 14 Jan 2014

 


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