Wind lidar have been used succesfully in cold climates for many years. They have potential advantages over traditional met towers because they can be less prone to icing than traditional anemometers, and they are also easier to install in remote or hard-to-reach locations. There are also challenges with their use in cold climates such as keeping them ice- and snow-free, and of providing power supplies. Most of the challenges can be mitigated, meaning that there are opportunities for the wind energy community to exploit their advantages.

Task 32 (Wind Lidar) and Task 19 (Wind Energy in Cold Climates) are now launching a Working Group to document the state of the art and identify ways to support the continued deployment of wind lidar in cold climates.