ECN comparison study validates Triton measurements

Second Wind’s Triton Sonic Wind Profiler was confirmed as a valid stand-alone system for wind resource assessment by an Energy Research Center / Netherlands (ECN) study.

Conducted at the ECN Wind Turbine Test Site-Wieringermeer (EWTW), the ECN study compared data from a Triton to data from a 100-meter tall meteorological tower instrumented with anemometers and wind vanes at four different heights. The study compared measurements ofwind speed and direction, as well as wind shear profiles, vertical wind speeds, and turbulence intensity. The Triton can be considered valid as a stand-alone system for wind resource assessments, especially given the industry’s tendency towards higher hub heights,” wrote the report’s authors. The report also highlights:

• Triton’s operational availability of 98.85% during the test period
• Triton’s low maintenance requirements
• Triton’s good performance at heights above 100 meters

Given the wind industry’s tendency toward taller turbines, it is important that wind instruments be able to accurately measure wind at higher heights. The Triton performed well when tested in comparison with anemometers, the industry’s standard,” said Henk Oostrum, ECN’s Head of the Group Experiments & Measurements.
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