Unlocking Turbulence Intensity Accuracy in Offshore Wind with DeepCLiDAR

In the wind energy industry, Turbulence Intensity (TI) is a key factor impacting turbine efficiency, structural integrity, and ultimately, energy yield. Yet, despite its critical role, the sector still lacks standardized methodologies to measure it using modern profiling techniques.

This problem is exacerbated in the offshore environment, where TI assessment often relies on floating devices, which are inherently unsteady due to wind, waves, and currents. The associated motion introduces uncertainty into measurements — a major hurdle for developers aiming to minimize risk and optimize energy production.

At CLS, we tackled this challenge head-on with our team of world-renowned oceanographers and metocean experts. The result? A new, motion correction methodology improve accuracy of TI measurements, developed using our certified floating LiDAR system, DeepCLiDAR.

DeepCLiDAR is more than just a buoy; it is a next-generation offshore wind measurement platform, engineered to withstand harsh marine environments while delivering high-quality data. Unlike conventional systems, DeepCLiDAR integrates advanced motion correction algorithms applicable to different sampling configurations to compensate for buoy motion. This enables it to provide reliable wind speed and TI data — even in challenging offshore conditions.

The early results are clear: our methodology delivers an accurate TI assessment, opening new doors for offshore wind developers and operators to reduce uncertainty in site characterization, turbine selection, and design load assessments.

As offshore wind projects scale up globally, the need for robust turbulence measurements becomes increasingly vital. With DeepCLiDAR, CLS is helping lead the way toward more reliable, cost-effective, and data-driven offshore wind development.