Partnership Embarks on LiDAR Assisted Control Initiative for Offshore Wind

ZX and sowento’s scope will cover a range of turbine segments like onshore, offshore, floating turbine systems, all of differing rotor sizes By Abi Wylie / 28 Dec 2023

Connect with Leading Marine Technology Innovators

Discover cutting-edge solutions from leading global suppliers
SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT
Partnership Embarks on LiDAR Assisted Control Initiative for Offshore Wind
Follow OS&T

ZX and sowento have embarked on a further, new initiative to demonstrate the benefits of ZX Continuous Wave (CW) Lidars for Lidar Assisted Control (LAC). 

This initiative is building on the success of their collaboration on the ReLACs project (retrofitted lidar assisted control using a simplified wind turbine lidar solution – Wind Energy Science Conference 2023).

The initiative will explore the commercial gains that LAC needs to provide, the ways in which ZX CW solutions can meet those gains and the robustness and sensitivity of the predicted ZX CW LAC cost-benefit. 

The defined project scope will cover a broad range of turbine segments including onshore, offshore and floating turbine systems, all of differing rotor sizes, and for both standalone turbines and wind farm accumulated benefit.

ZX Lidars provides wind lidar products, ZX 300, ZX 300M and ZX TM for wind energy and meteorological applications. These Lidars deliver accurate wind measurements in both onshore and offshore applications at measurement heights / ranges across the full swept area of the blades of modern wind turbines, and beyond.

sowento is an engineering consultancy and technology advisor, with its main business fields in lidar technology and floating wind as well as control applications. sowento is a spin-off from the University of Stuttgart and provides modelling, simulation and control solutions to various stakeholders of the wind energy industry.

“ZX is investing to help our industry advance in areas where real and tangible benefits can be made to reduce the levelized cost of energy of wind farms – be that improving turbine capability and performance, increasing project life, or optimising annual production. We are very pleased to be working with our friends at sowento again to maximise the outcome of this important Lidar Assisted Control initiative,” said Steven White, Director of Turbine mounted lidar at ZX.

Steffen Raach, Managing Director of sowento, added; “Lidar-assisted control is a core expertise of sowento and we are happy to advance the technology in a collaboration with ZX Lidars. 

“We have formed a strong project team working on the different project topics with our lidar experts David Schlipf, a world-wide leading expert on lidar-assisted control, and Wei Fu, a lidar expert who just completed her dissertation at DTU on the characterization of turbulence using nacelle-based lidar systems.”

“This project is another step towards the realization of having nacelle-based lidar systems on every future wind turbine,” added David Schlipf. 

Posted by Abi Wylie Edited by Abigail Wylie, Editor and Copywriter experienced in digital media with a keen interest in ocean science technology. Connect & Contact

Latest Articles

SubCtech to Exhibit Marine Monitoring Systems Throughout 2025

SubCtech will be showcasing its marine monitoring systems for surface and underwater vessels, and power solutions for subsea vehicles, at a range of 2025 trade shows

Feb 14, 2025
Latest D-2 CTD Cell Features Innovative Design for Precise Conductivity Measurements

D-2's latest conductivity cell features a redesigned straight-line flow-through system, eliminating obstructions and improving conductivity measurement accuracy for oceanographic applications

Feb 13, 2025
French Navy Receives Advanced Autonomous Mine Countermeasure Systems

Thales has delivered the first autonomous mine countermeasure drones to the French Navy, advancing naval security with innovative drone systems for mine detection and clearance operations

Feb 13, 2025
Profile Spotlight: MetOcean Telematics & Maritime Satellite Communications

OST is helping MetOcean Telematics showcase its satellite communications and telemetry solutions, supporting marine industries like research, fisheries, and environmental monitoring

Feb 12, 2025
Understanding Deep Trekker’s BRIDGE Technology for Reliable ROV Control

Deep Trekker explains how its BRIDGE technology integrates hardware and software to enhance ROV operations, providing seamless communication between the vehicle, its controller, and third-party sensors

Feb 12, 2025
Actisense Enhances NMEA 2000 System Monitoring with New Features

Actisense has introduced new interface updates, including improved navigation, real-time NMEA data viewing, enhanced logging, network mapping, and simplified data routing for better system diagnostics and management

Feb 12, 2025

Featured Content

Case Study: Trimble Applanix Technology Powers Hydrographic Surveys

In this case study, SEP Hydrographic Limited opted for Trimble Applanix technology to enhance its asset inspections, employing high-resolution 3D scanning for superior data quality above and below the waterline

Feb 10, 2025
Charles River to Develop MAGNETO Submarine Detection System for U.S. Navy

Charles River Analytics is set to develop its MAGNETO submarine detection system for the U.S. Navy, leveraging magnetic signals to to detect stealthier and quieter submarines

Feb 04, 2025
Teledyne Marine’s Slocum Gliders Enhance Conservation Efforts in the Roseway Basin

Researchers have deployed Teledyne Marine’s Slocum gliders in the Roseway Basin to detect and track marine mammals in near-real-time, enhancing conservation efforts through advanced acoustic monitoring technology

Feb 04, 2025