First in situ evidence of wakes in the far field behind offshore wind farms

• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20389-y
• Publication Date: 2018-01-26T15:15:07Z
• Authors: Andreas Platis; Simon K. Siedersl...; Jens Bange; Astrid Lampert; Konrad Bärfuss; Rudolf Hankers; Beatriz Cañadillas; Richard Foreman; Johannes Schulz-S...; Bughsin Djath; Thomas Neumann; Stefan Emeis
• Keywords: Stratification (seeds); Sea breeze

More than 12 GW of offshore wind turbines are currently in operation European waters. To optimise the use marine areas, farms typically clustered units several hundred turbines. Understanding wakes farms, which is region momentum and energy deficit downwind, important for optimising farm layouts to minimize costs. While most weather situations (unstable atmospheric stratification), only a local effect within farm, satellite imagery reveals wind-farm be tens kilometres length under certain conditions (stable also predicted by numerical models. The first direct situ measurements existence shape large specially equipped research aircraft 2016 2017 confirm wake lengths more stable conditions, with maximum speed deficits 40%, enhanced turbulence. These were step project describe understand physics using measurements, together assessment