WISE: WInd energy Sodar Evaluation

The European project WISE began in May 2002 and had a duration of 30 months.

The general aim of the WISE project was the application of the SODAR technique (SODAR = sound detection and ranging) for wind energy applications as a replacement for cup anemometers and tall meteorological masts.
Measurements for wind energy applications such as power performance testing are standardised and carefully calibrated and controlled. At the start of the WISE project some trials with SODAR had been held but due to various reasons this did not result in the general acceptance of SODAR for wind energy applications. It was assessed that there was a need for the development of a calibration technique for SODAR and a good understanding of SODAR operational characteristics and limitations. When this has been done SODAR should be tested with a power performance measurement including a rigorous uncertainty analysis. Also the operation of the SODAR in difficult conditions (complex terrain, offshore) has been tested in this project. This project helped to make SODAR an accepted method in the wind energy field.

Although the Sodar with the technology level at the end of the project had its limitations, the instrument remains an attractive alternative to expensive large meteo masts for wind measurements with large wind turbines and measurements at offshore locations. However improvements regarding calibration, design and software are suggested in the final report.

ECN was the project coordinator with partners:

• Risoe National Laboratory, Department of Wind Energy and Athmospheric Physics, RISOE (DK)
• Centre for Renewable Energy Sources, CRES (GR)
• German Wind Energy Institute, DEWI (DE)
• Windtest Kaiser-Wilhelm-Koog GmbH, WINDTEST (DE)
• Forschungszentrum Karslruhe GmbH (IFU) FZK.IMK (DE)
• Centro de Investigaciones Energeticas, Medioambientales y Tecnologicas, CIEMAT (SP)

Publications:

WISE: Wind Energy Sodar Evaluation. FInal report
Noord, M. de; Curvers, A.P.W.M.; Eecen, P.J.; Antoniou, I.; J?rgensen, H.E.; Pedersen, T.F.; Bradley, S.; H?nerbein, S. von; Kindler, D.  
ECN-C--05-044; March, 2005; 95 pag.

SODAR power performance measurements, WISE WP5
Noord, M. de; Curvers, A.P.W.M.; Eecen, P.J.; Antoniou, I.; J?rgensen, H.E.; Pedersen, T.F.; Bradley, S.; H?nerbein, S. von; Kindler, D.   
ECN-C--05-041; April, 2005; 71 pag.

Wind Energy SODAR Evaluation (WISE) : Phase 1 
Eecen, P.J.; Ormel, F.T. ECN-RX--03-058;
October, 2003; 10 pag. Presented at European Wind Energy Conference 2003, Madrid, Spain, 16-19 June, 2003.

Description of SODAR data storage : WISE project WP2
Barhorst, S.A.M.; Verhoef, J.P.; Werff, P.A. van der; Eecen, P.J.
ECN-C--03-108; October, 2003; 20 pag.

Noise and Vibrations Measurements: External noise and vibrations measurements for offshore SODAR application 
Ormel, F.T.; Eecen, P.J.; Herman, S.A.
ECN-C--03-109; October, 2003; 47 pag.