Since 2012 CommSensLab activity on wind lidar has also found application in the field wind profiling using floating Doppler lidar buoys for the off-shore wind industry. NEPTUNE is a European project of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT, 2012-2016 KIC InnoEnergy) in the field of wind energy aimed at the development of offshore metocean measuring equipment and wind-, wave- and current-analysis and forecasting software. The project has given rise of a new technology of off-shore wind-lidar systems for eolic farms (and related spin-off company) as well as a wealth of wind, wave and current simulation and forecasting tools. The project, which a lead activity from the Lab. of Maritime Engineering (LIM-UPC), has given rise of a new technology of off-shore wind-lidar systems for eolic farms as well as a wealth of wind, wave and current simulation and forecasting tools. Consortia was integrated by 4 research partners (Instituto de Investigación de Energía de Catalunyaa (IREC), LIM-UPC and CommSensLab (UPC), Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT), University of Stuttgart) and two industrial partners (Gas Natural Fenosa, and Soluciones de Ingeniería Marítima Operacional, S.L. (SIMO)).
The spin-off company EOLOS (floating Doppler lidar buoy systems for wind profiling) created after European Project NEPTUNE received in 2015 the EIT Innovators Award to recognize Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) innovation teams that have developed in an exemplary manner an innovative product, service or process with a high potential for societal and economic impact.
