A full-size prototype of the floating LIDAR offshore resource assessment system, known as FLIDAR, has been successfully tested 15 km off the Belgian coast. It was located next to a stationary LIDAR from Leosphere on a fixed communication mast for the month of October, in order to test survivability and validate the accuracy of the wind speed measurements.
According to consultancy 3E, this is the first successful trial of a floating LIDAR device in real offshore conditions in the North Sea. Designed to withstand significant wave heights of over 6 meters the FLIDAR system was tested in wind speeds up to 25 m/s and proved highly accurate.
The FLIDAR was developed by 3E and Offshore & Wind Assistance NV, a subsidiary of Belgian geotechnical offshore contractor GeoSea.
The development of the floating LIDAR system is part of the Offshore Wind Infrastructure (OWI) project, which is co-financed by the Flemish government.
