This Special Issue “Atmospheric Conditions for Wind Energy Applications” hosts papers on aspects of remote sensing for atmospheric conditions for wind energy applications. Wind lidar technology is presented from a theoretical view on the coherent focused Doppler lidar principles. Furthermore, wind lidar for applied use for wind turbine control, wind farm wake, and gust characterizations is presented, as well as methods to reduce uncertainty when using lidar in complex terrain. Wind lidar observations are used to validate numerical model results. Wind Doppler lidar mounted on aircraft used for observing winds in hurricane conditions and Doppler radar on the ground used for very short-term wind forecasting are presented. For the offshore environment, floating lidar data processing is presented as well as an experiment with wind-profiling lidar on a ferry for model validation. Assessments of wind resources in the coastal zone using wind-profiling lidar and global wind maps using satellite data are presented.

Sonic Detection and Ranging (SODAR) systems and Radio Acoustic Sounding Systems (RASS) use sound waves to determine wind speed, wind direction, and turbulent character of the atmosphere. They are increasingly used for environmental and scientific applications such as analyzing ground-level pollution dispersion and monitoring conditions affecting wind energy generation. However, until now there have been no reliable references on SODAR and RASS for practitioners in the field as well as non-experts who wish to understand and implement this technology to their own applications. Authored by an internationally known expert in the design and use of SODAR/RASS technology, Atmospheric Acoustic Remote Sensing: Principles and Applications systematically explains the underlying science, principles, and operational aspects of acoustic radars. Abundant diagrams and figures, including eight pages of full-color images, enhance clear guidelines and tools for handling calibration, error, equipment, hardware, sampling, and data analysis. The final chapter explores applications in environmental research, boundary layer research, wind power and loading, complex terrain, and sound speed profiles. Atmospheric Acoustic Remote Sensing offers SODAR and RASS users as well as general remote sensing practitioners, environmental scientists, and engineers a straightforward guide for using SODARs to perform wind measurements and data analysis for scientific, environmental, or alternative monitoring applications.

The book presents a comprehensive overview of the current state-of-the-art in the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) research. It focuses on experimental ABL research, while most of the books on ABL discuss it from a theoretical or fluid dynamics point of view. Experimental ABL research has been made so far by surface-based in-situ experimentation (tower measurements up to a few hundred meters, surface energy balance measurements, short aircraft experiments, short experiments with tethered balloons, constant-level balloons, evaluation of radiosonde data). Surface flux measurements are also discussed in the book. Although the surface fluxes are one of the main driving factors for the daily variation of the ABL, an ABL description is only complete if its vertical structure is analyzed and determined. Satellite information is available covering large areas, but it has only limited temporal resolution and lacks sufficient vertical resolution. Therefore, surface-based remote sensing is a large challenge to enlarge the database for ABL studies, as it offers nearly continuous and vertically highly resolved information for specific sites of interest. Considerable progress has been made in the recent years in studying of ground-based remote sensing of the ABL. The book discusses such new subjects as micro-rain radars and the use of ceilometers for ABL profiling, modern small wind lidars for wind energy applications, ABL flux profile measurements, RASS techniques, and mixing-layer height determination.

Active remote sensing is the principal tool used to study and to predict short- and long-term changes in the environment of Earth - the atmosphere, the oceans and the land surfaces - as well as the near space environment of Earth. All of these measurements are essential to understanding terrestrial weather, climate change, space weather hazards, and threats from asteroids. Active remote sensing measurements are of inestimable benefit to society, as we pursue the development of a technological civilization that is economically viable, and seek to maintain the quality of our life. A Strategy for Active Remote Sensing Amid Increased Demand for Spectrum describes the threats, both current and future, to the effective use of the electromagnetic spectrum required for active remote sensing. This report offers specific recommendations for protecting and making effective use of the spectrum required for active remote sensing.

Wind energy’s bestselling textbook- fully revised. This must-have second edition includes up-to-date data, diagrams, illustrations and thorough new material on: the fundamentals of wind turbine aerodynamics; wind turbine testing and modelling; wind turbine design standards; offshore wind energy; special purpose applications, such as energy storage and fuel production. Fifty additional homework problems and a new appendix on data processing make this comprehensive edition perfect for engineering students. This book offers a complete examination of one of the most promising sources of renewable energy and is a great introduction to this cross-disciplinary field for practising engineers. “provides a wealth of information and is an excellent reference book for people interested in the subject of wind energy.” (IEEE Power & Energy Magazine, November/December 2003) “deserves a place in the library of every university and college where renewable energy is taught.” (The International Journal of Electrical Engineering Education, Vol.41, No.2 April 2004) “a very comprehensive and well-organized treatment of the current status of wind power.” (Choice, Vol. 40, No. 4, December 2002)

This textbook is intended for an audience with little or no power engineering or renewable energy background. The book covers electric energy from alternative energy sources, including solar, wind, water, hydropower, geothermal, and ocean energy. Core issues discussed include wind and solar resource estimates and analysis, solar thermal systems, solar collectors, photovoltaics, wind turbines, geothermal energy, energy small hydropower, wave, tide and ocean energy, and characteristics of energy conversion, control, and electrical aspects. This is one of the most comprehensive textbooks for students, engineers, and professionals who study renewable energy. There are several questions and problems, presented with increasing difficulty, most of which focus on practical applications. The materials and problems are drawn from the author’s extensive experience in renewable energy analysis, assessment, design, control, and the power electronics of wind and solar energy conversion systems. Each section of the book contains several solved examples, as well as practical and advanced discussions, that instill critical thinking and apply to industrial applications. The book is divided into eight chapters and covers the most important aspects of renewable energy sources and technologies.