Overview
The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) has funded the deployment of a Floating LiDAR System (FLS) at the Atlantic Marine Energy Test Site.
In July 2025 Green Rebel Marine successfully deployed the FLS at site A, where it will remain for up to three years. The FLS is equipped with a range of sensors that measure parameters associated with wind, current, waves etc.
Green Rebel Marine are responsible for the installation, operation, maintenance, data collection, telemetry and subsequent decommissioning of the FLS and provide SEAI with the data collected. On behalf of SEAI, the Marine Institute hosts, preserves and serves the data as part of the existing Master Service Agreement.
The Green Rebel Floating Lidar System (FLS) has been prepared and configured with the following sensors:
- ZX300M Continuous Wave Doppler Wind Lidar;
- Datawell DWR Wave Sensor;
- Nortek Signature 250 Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP);
- Airmar 200WX Weather Station;
- Vaisala WXT 536 Weather Station;
- and Airmar SS510 Echosounder.
The single ZX300M Lidar is used to measure wind related parameters and statistics from 10 m to 300 m above the sensor. The Lidar is equipped with an Airmar 200WX weather station, which provides information on atmospheric parameters such as pressure and temperature as well as information on position (GPS) and wind speed and direction. The Airmar sensor is mounted on top of the FLS and provides measurements at a height of approximately 4 m above mean sea level (AMSL).
The Datawell DWR wave sensor is used to obtain wave height and directional data from the FLS. The Datawell DWR measures wave motions in three directions – heave, north and west – utilising a stabilised platform sensor. This, in combination with an accelerometer and compass, forms the complete sensor package for outputting all wave data.
The Nortek Signature 250 ADCP is deployed on the FLS to obtain detailed measurements of sea current speed and direction. The ADCP will be configured with Nortek’s Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS) active, which is used to provide improved measurements on platforms that are subjected to motion.
The Vaisala WXT 536 Weather Station is deployed on the FLS to obtain measurements of precipitation. Measurements of precipitation should be treated with care for FLS deployments at sea due to additional spray from wave impacting the measurements. Other atmospheric data (e.g., pressure, temperature and humidity) will also be obtained from this instrument.
The Airmar SS510 echosounder is deployed on the FLS to obtain water depth measurements from the measurement location.
