Product Pick of the Week - WindLogics' sonic detection and ranging technology

WindLogics announced today its use of sonic detection and ranging (Sodar) technology to study wake effects of wind turbines at operating wind farms. The continuous wind profile data will contribute to development of better wake effect models and other improved wind farm design tools for optimized wind turbine placement.

"Remote data collection is playing a growing role in our work," says Josh Stinogel, Project Manager at WindLogics. "This year, WindLogics will be deploying two sonic wind profilers at an operating wind farm. We're working with the University of Minnesota to use the SCADA and Sodar data to develop a high resolution model predicting wake effects from utility-scale wind turbines. Using Sodar technology, we will have access to reliable and continuous wind profiles under complex, real world conditions."

"These research results will facilitate advancements in wind plant design, resulting in opportunities for improved plant performance and profitability," added Mark Ahlstrom, WindLogics CEO. "Downstream effects from both individual wind turbines and entire wind plants are very significant to energy production. In addition to the impacts on actual production, the resulting turbulence can impact equipment operations and O&M costs."

To conduct this work, WindLogics purchased two Triton(TM) sonic wind profilers from Second Wind Inc. The devices capture wind data at heights up to 200 meters, well beyond turbine blade sweep. The WindLogics research staff is currently using the equipment at the company's Sciences Center (http://www.windlogics.com/page/1/sodar.jsp) prior to full wind farm deployment.

The development phase of this R&D project, conducted with funding from the Xcel Renewable Development Fund, will be completed in 2011, with the entire project completed by 2012. In addition to this project, WindLogics will be using Sodar data to develop rich on-site data sets for continuing R&D into improved wind resource assessment and forecasting services.

Headquartered in St. Paul, MN, WindLogics is a leader in advanced wind resource analysis, long-term wind variability and weather forecasting services. Using weather data and advanced computer modeling techniques, WindLogics services help landowners, project developers, owner/operators, financiers and utilities reduce their financial risk and maximize their return through a better understanding of the wind at their locations of interest.

For more information please contact Trevor Sievert at ts@windfair.net