Biral has been working closely with ORE Catapult, a UK innovation center for offshore renewable energy, to further develop its BTD-350 thunderstorm and lightning detection system for offshore wind farms. As a result, Biral is installing its technology for testing at ORE’s 7MW Levenmouth Demonstration Turbine in Fife, Scotland.
Biral’s innovative technology provides operators with advanced, real-time information about thunderstorm activity within a 50 nautical mile radius of a wind farm.
With the ability to provide warnings of overhead lightning prior to the first lightning discharge and a false alarm rate that is almost zero, Biral’s sensor represents a significant step change in lightning detection technology. Early warning of potential lightning activity is vital to ensure the continued safe operations, and safety of personnel, at any wind farm.
With support from the Catapult, plans are now being developed to further demonstrate the technology in real-world conditions at Vattenfall’s European Offshore Wind Demonstration Centre, off the coast of Aberdeen, Scotland, giving wind farm owner/operators increased confidence in the product and opening up a route to market for the technology.
Hugo Aniksztejn, international sales specialist, Biral, said, “Working with ORE Catapult has been invaluable in helping us better understand how the BTD-350 thunderstorm and lightning detection system can offer real-world safety benefits to the wind turbine sector. We hope that this partnership will give potential customers from this sector confidence in the performance of our innovative new product.”