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Comparison of offshore wind park sites using SAR wind measurement techniques

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 July 2005

Tobias Schneiderhan
Affiliation:
German Aerospace Centre, Oberpfaffenhofen, 82234 Wessling, Germany Email: [email protected]
Susanne Lehner
Affiliation:
German Aerospace Centre, Oberpfaffenhofen, 82234 Wessling, Germany Email: [email protected]
Johannes Schulz-Stellenfleth
Affiliation:
German Aerospace Centre, Oberpfaffenhofen, 82234 Wessling, Germany Email: [email protected]
Jochen Horstmann
Affiliation:
GKSS Research Centre, Max-Planck-Str., 21502 Geesthacht, Germany
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Abstract

Wind farming has grown rapidly in Europe over the last decade. All European countries with shallow coastal waters and strong mean coastal wind speeds are planning or already constructing offshore wind farms. Large parts of the North Sea and Baltic Sea are being investigated to see whether they are suitable for offshore wind parks. In this study we show how satellite images taken by space-borne radar sensors can be used to determine mesoscale wind fields and thus help in the task of planning offshore wind farms. High-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images acquired by the European remote sensing satellite ERS-2 showing single wind turbines are investigated. The methods for retrieving high-resolution wind fields from SAR images are explained and statistical comparisons of wind speed and wind direction at the two offshore wind park sites in the North Sea, Horns Rev and Butendiek, are given.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 2005 Royal Meteorological Society

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