Automotive 4D lidars for monitoring of rotating wind turbine blades (4DLIDAR)

The current state-of-the-art test methods make it expensive and cumbersome to test prototype wind turbine rotors. This results in slow development of the next generation of giant wind turbines that reach 260 meters in diameter. To accelerate the green transition, rapid development is crucial and essential. Thanks to the massive progress in lidar technology for automobiles in Silicon Valley, the instruments have become so robust and cheap that they have the potential of disrupting wind turbine testing. As mass production emerges, the automotive lidars can speed up the prototype testing, where bending and twisting of wind turbine blades must be monitored carefully under various atmospheric conditions. In the long run, lidars may be integrated permanently into turbines to survey the operation, reduce loads, and inspect the blades’ surface for erosion and insect accretion which reduce efficiency.

In 4DLIDAR, we will collaborate with lidar manufactures and wind energy companies to investigate if the immense potential of automotive lidars can be realized. If the tests in 4DLIDAR are successful, integration of these lidars into the wind energy industry will enhance its competitive advantages, reduce the time-to-market of new models, increase turbine lifespans, and improve turbine operations.