Strategisk markedstilgang for Windar Photonics A/S

Abstract

The Danish start-up company Windar Photonics A/S has developed a low-cost laser based sensor capable of measuring the speed and direction of the wind up to approximately 200 meter in front of a wind turbine. The sensor provides more accurate information about the wind flow as compared to a traditional cup anemometer and wind vane which typically are mounted on the housing of the wind turbine. The accurate information about the wind flow can be used to better optimize and adjust the orientation of the axis of the rotor of the wind turbine with the incoming wind flow. The optimization can lead to a higher amount (a few percent) of generated electricity as compared to the case were the traditional anemometer and wind vane are used. The increased amount of electricity represents an economic value and the low-cost laser sensor can thereby potentially increase the profitability of the wind turbine if this value is higher than the cost of installing the sensor. The sensor is targeted for the design-in market (i.e. new wind turbines to be installed) but Windar is considering also targeting the retrofit market (i.e. existing wind turbines that can be upgraded by being fitted with a laser sensor). In this context Windar would like to understand and analyze the structure and the potential of the retrofit market as compared to the design-in market in order to identify a suitable market approach (go-to-market strategy) and explore how this should be prioritized seen in the light of Windar’s resources and the amount of value the sensor can provide to currently installed wind turbines. The analysis of the potential of sensor technology reveals that the sensor can increase the profitability of wind turbines which typically are having a size larger than 2,5-3 MW. The profitability increases with increased size of the turbine. It is believed that the sensor with high probability can increase the yearly electricity production with approximately 1.5 percent. The market potential of the retrofit market is estimated to be less than 1.000 turbines over the next 3 years as compared to the design-in market which has a potential of at least 5-10.000 turbines pr. Year. Since the market potential of the retrofit market is much lower as compared to the design-in market, and since Windar has limited resources, it is recommended that Windar should not address the retrofit market at all.