Laser anemometers squeeze more energy out of the wind

Future wind turbines may be able to get more energy out of the wind while reducing extreme loads thanks to a wind LIDAR system under development at the Danish Risø National Laboratory for Sustainable Energy.

The laser-based system sees wind turbulence before it hits the blades. This lets the turbine optimize its position and adjust the blades to use the wind more efficiently.

Researchers expect the technology to boost wind energy production by up to 5%, primarily because it makes possible the use of longer blades. They say for a 4 MW wind turbine, this means a financial gain of 200,000 Danish kroner a year.

More info: http://www.risoe.dk/Research/sustainable_energy/wind_energy/projects/LIDAR.aspx