Specialist energy consultancy, TNEI, has joined forces with expert technology provider, Visualwind, to develop an innovative noise-monitoring solution. The WindComply Noise Module will be used exclusively by TNEI to provide smart-monitoring services. The self-powered modules automatically transfer noise, rain, and battery health data to the wind-farm supervision platform, WindSync for storage and analysis by TNEI’s team of acoustic specialists.

WindComply Noise Module’s self-powered modules automatically transfer noise, rain, and battery health data to a wind-farm supervision platform for storage and analysis.
The automation of wind-farm noise monitoring is especially beneficial during lengthy compliance monitoring surveys, where accurate noise, wind, and SCADA data are analyzed together during monitoring campaigns.
Compliance monitoring assessments can be lengthy and expensive because of requirements to collect data during a range of wind conditions and need for regular site visits to replace batteries and to download data for analysis. There can also be a requirement for wind-farm operators to shut down production during monitoring campaigns for hours, or even days, to obtain robust data in the absence of turbine noise.
Since the WindComply Noise Modules are self-powered and automatically send data to a secure Cloud server, they reduce the number of site visits required during a monitoring campaign and provide assurance that noise data is being collected during expensive wind turbine shutdowns.
TNEI’s experts can easily check the status of the equipment at any time and provide clients with a prompt update on the data collected and interim results.
“There are existing similar smart products on the market, however, we needed something specific for wind-farm noise and the flexibility of adding features on request, such as automated synchronization with SCADA data,” explained TNEI’s Senior Technical Consultant, Moise Coulon.
Extremely low power consumption and a small footprint were key design considerations, and Class I sound level meters are embedded in the module to provide high-resolution data and audio for assessment of noise levels, tonality, and amplitude modulation.
“The use of self-powered and internet-connected environmental monitoring equipment will become increasingly important as the renewables industry embraces ‘Internet of Things’ technology,” said Visualwind Operations Director, Peter Longbottom. “We were very pleased to work with TNEI to bring this innovation into wind farm noise monitoring.”
In developing this smart technology, TNEI’s aim is to provide better, more responsive noise services, and through this partnership, the WindComply Noise Module will be used in TNEI’s noise monitoring campaigns across the UK and abroad.
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