Triton is a remote sensing system that uses sodar (sound detection and ranging) to measure wind at higher heights than the previous tower-based standard. By measuring wind speeds at the turbine rotor’s hub height and beyond, up to 200 meters, Triton reduces uncertainty in annual energy production (AEP) forecasts.
South Africa’s wind resources are estimated by SAWEA (South African Wind Energy Association) to exceed 30 GW. The country has a relatively modest 10 MW of installed wind capacity currently, but the government has a target of generating 10,000 GWh of power from renewable energy source by 2013 (700 MW of which will come from wind). Several of the world’s leading wind turbine OEMs, project developers and service providers have already established a presence in South Africa.
Just six months after entering the South African wind power market, turbine manufacturer Second Wind has sold eight Triton sonic wind profilers and partnered with WISE-Wind Information Sentinel, a wind data services provider, to support anticipated demand for Second Wind’s products.
The company delivered and installed its first Tritons in South Africa in June 2010. Since then, the Boston-based company has taken orders for five more units, including several repeat orders from international wind developer Windlab, which has a development pipeline of just over 2,000 MW in South Africa. The South African Triton implementations have been highly successful, with better than 99.7% uptime.
“Triton has taken off in South Africa very quickly, and we see that as an indication of strong future demand,” says Second Wind Vice President of Sales Peter Gibson. “South Africa is an important emerging market. The government has policy incentives in place and has announced its intention to build a clean energy economy, so we see a lot of opportunity in the near and long terms.”
Second Wind’s partnership with WISE (Wind Information Sentinel), a Triton-certified partner that also provides support for the company’s products in Australia and New Zealand. WISE will provide certified local resources (including Cape Town–based meteorological instrument supplier AfriWeather and leading wind consultant Wind Prospect) to install, redeploy, and field service Tritons in South Africa. WISE and AfriWeather will also provide installation and maintenance support services on a number of the Triton units being installed in South Africa in early 2011.
Second Wind www.secondwind.com
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