Resource assessment experts gather to reduce uncertainty in wind projects

On 27-28 June, WindEurope hosted the 5^th edition of its Resource Assessment technology workshop. This year, the workshop focused on using better models and validation tools to reduce uncertainty when estimating how much wind there is at a given site.

Proper wind resource assessment is a cornerstone of every wind project, especially as the environment for wind projects becomes increasingly merchant. As one of WindEurope’s most popular workshops, Resource Assessment annually provides an opportunity for data scientists, analysts and experts in wind dynamics and modelling to drill down on technical developments in wind energy.

This year, 250 attendees from Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia gathered in the BEL Centre in Brussels for the event. The workshop began with the launch of the New European Wind Atlas, funded via ERANET+. The new Atlas is the product of 4 years’ work by 30 partners from 8 countries, and is based on the development and validation of new methodologies for the assessment of wind conditions. These methodologies span advanced developments in both measurement and modelling science. The Atlas can now be accessed online here and is free to use for all. The entire database is available for download using an OpenDAP protocol.

New developments in measurement and modelling formed a thread for the entire workshop. Experts focused on reducing uncertainty through data use, modelling and LiDAR use, onshore and offshore. There was a dedicated session on reducing inefficiency caused by wakes in wind farms. Attendees also discussed the potential impact of climate change on wind flows and patterns. In addition to the sessions, the workshop featured over 40 poster presentations and a small exhibition.