Natural Power has released a study that will support the replacement of traditional met masts on sites featuring complex terrain, with a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) converted lidar campaign with ZephIR 300.
The study undertaken by Natural Power was founded on data from more than 3 years of commercial and research-based deployments and initially included a total of 21 site campaigns with stringent considerations taken as to the location and quality of anemometry used. Further the CFD model used, VENTOS, was assessed with respect to all parameters that may cause sensitivities within the model. The conclusions of the study demonstrate that no additional uncertainty is caused by the conversion, known as Dynamics, in any of the sample sites when using VENTOS CFD and ZephIR 300 wind lidar. The resulting conversion in all cases showed an equivalent level of accuracy from ZephIR 300 could be achieved when compared to a met mast operating in complex terrain. Natural Power considers ZephIR 300 wind speed data, when converted with CFD-based tool Dynamics, to be at DNV GL Stage 3 (finance-grade) in complex terrain / complex wind flow.