Dr Theodore Holtom

A physicist by training, Dr Theodore Holtom worked as Senior Scientist for agencies of the UK Ministry of Defence before deciding wind energy is more useful. He joined the wind industry in 2006, working for Airtricity and SSE until 2012 when he founded Wind Farm Analytics Ltd. As an employee analyst obsessed with operational power curve data, Theo was the first person in the world to use LIDAR laser wind measurement in front of operational wind turbines in hilly Scottish terrain for understanding the impact of non-standard wind flow on wind turbine power performance.

While much of the wind industry developed in flat landscapes such as Denmark, northern Germany and the Netherlands, Dr Holtom emphasises the importance of non-horizontal flow at a large portion of the world’s wind turbines. Theo argues the wind industry has focused too much on computer simulations and measurement instruments such as spinning cup anemometer which neglect the vertical component of wind. Theo’s work based on real life operational data shows non-horizontal flow is frequently costing 10% of lifetime energy production.

His patented inventions include converging beam LIDAR for proper three-dimensional wind measurement and wind turbine blade pitch control methods for handling non-axial wind flow and other flow attributes. Theo also discusses relevance to offshore wind turbines regarding floating LIDAR, large rotors, and that floating wind turbines experience similar misalignment of wind flow as do onshore turbines in hilly wind farms, because of floating tower tilt.

Theo suggests that aerodynamic pitch control corrections are firstly aimed at increasing power curve performance but can additionally reduce loads and increase asset lifetime. Instead of focusing on computer simulations incorporating wrong assumptions in parameters or logic, Theo advocates that the wind industry will advance best by real-life field test measurement and Wind Farm Analytics seeks partnerships to this end – don’t be shy, get in touch!