Open AccessComparison of offshore wind park sites using SAR wind measurement techniques
Author(s) -
Schneiderhan Tobias,
Lehner Susanne,
SchulzStellenfleth Johannes,
Horstmann Jochen
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
meteorological applications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1469-8080
pISSN - 1350-4827
DOI - 10.1017/s1350482705001659
Subject(s) - offshore wind power , synthetic aperture radar , wind speed , submarine pipeline , mesoscale meteorology , satellite , remote sensing , meteorology , environmental science , wind power , wind direction , baltic sea , radar , maximum sustained wind , geology , geography , wind gradient , oceanography , computer science , telecommunications , engineering , electrical engineering , aerospace engineering
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. Copyright © 2005 Royal Meteorological Society