Weather data analyses contribute to effective offshore wind farm design and operations
What are the wind and wave conditions in the areas that the Norwegian government opened for wind development in 2020? Etienne Cheynet and his colleagues have analysed the metocean conditions from 1992 to 2020 in Utsira Nord and Sørlige Nordsjø II.
Main content
The sea off the Norwegian coast can be harsh. Nevertheless, researchers believe that several areas in the Norwegian Exclusive Economic Zone are suitable for offshore wind energy. In June 2020, the Norwegian government opened two areas, Utsira Nord and Sørlige Nordsjø II, to licensing applications for offshore wind projects.
Making optimal use of wind resources
In-depth knowledge of wind and wave conditions is crucial for the best possible use of wind resources. Together with Associate Professor Lin Li (University of Stavanger) and Associate Professor Zhiyu Jiang (University of Agder), Etienne Cheynet has utilised the NORA3 database to establish statistics on wind speed, wind direction, wave direction, wave height and the wave period over 29 years in Utsira Nord and Sørlige Nordsjø II.
– The results of our research will be useful to everyone who designs, operates and maintains offshore wind farms, says Etienne Cheynet.
At this year's Science Meets Industry offshore wind conference, you can hear him present the new findings and how they can be used to make better offshore wind farms.
