Posters

Abstract

This work has been carried out by TechWorks Marine as part of the EO4Wind - Earth Observation for Best Practices in the Renewable Energy Sector: Wind project, funded by the European Space Agency. The objective of this project was to establish the current needs and best practices for the use of Earth Observation (EO) based products and services within the wind sector, both on and offshore.    Three EO products have been developed by TechWorks Marine to assist the wind industry in site selection, environmental assessment, and monitoring activities.   The first offshore product is “10 m Wind Speed (Wake Effect)”. The wake effect is a phenomenon where wind speed and direction are altered by wind turbines which creates a wake behind them. Wake loss can occur where some turbines receive far less wind potential than neighbouring ones. Offshore wind farms in close proximity “steal” wind energy from each other, so better understanding the wake effect for wind farm developers can prevent them from experiencing energy losses and associated loss in earnings from power generation.  The second offshore product is “Coastal Change Monitoring”. Offshore wind farm power cables transmit electrical power from turbines to onshore grids. These cables can be exposed in the seabed over time due to seabed movement or strong currents. Areas of these cables being exposed are labelled “hotspots” which pose a risk of damage to the cables and are an environmental hazard to humans and marine habitats. By studying coastal change dynamics, these effects can be studied and areas at risk can be avoided.  The onshore product is titled “Landslide Risk Monitoring”. Landslides are a risk to existing wind turbines and can disrupt construction of entire wind farms. This product will aid developers in avoiding areas where there is a history of landslides.