Complex terrain experiments in the New European Wind Atlas

Area of Science:

• Atmospheric Science
• Renewable Energy Engineering
• Meteorology

Background:

• The New European Wind Atlas project aims to create a comprehensive, accessible wind resource assessment for Europe and Turkey.
• Understanding wind flow in complex terrains is critical for efficient and reliable wind energy deployment.
• Existing wind atlases often lack detailed data for complex geographical areas.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe and present the experimental methodologies for validating atmospheric flow models within the New European Wind Atlas project.
• To investigate wind flow properties relevant to wind turbine operation, including mean flow, turbulence, extreme winds, wind shear, veer, and diurnal/seasonal variations.
• To assess the effectiveness of Doppler lidar systems in characterizing wind conditions in diverse and complex terrains.

Main Methods:

• Conducting field experiments in various complex terrains across Europe.
• Utilizing multiple synchronized, scanning Doppler lidar systems to measure wind flow at heights relevant to wind turbines (40-300m).
• Supplementing or replacing traditional meteorological towers with advanced lidar technology for enhanced data acquisition.

Main Results:

• Pilot experiments in Portugal and Germany demonstrate the high accuracy and value of synchronized scanning lidar for studying atmospheric processes.
• Experimental data are being collected to validate atmospheric flow models used in wind resource assessment.
• The study focuses on key wind parameters such as mean flow, turbulence intensity, wind shear, and wind veer.

Conclusions:

• Doppler lidar systems, particularly synchronized scanning arrays, provide accurate and valuable data for wind energy applications in complex terrains.
• The experimental data generated will significantly improve the reliability of atmospheric flow models for wind resource assessment.
• The project will result in a freely accessible European wind atlas, supporting the expansion of wind energy.