The effect of wind-wave interaction on the energy harvesting of offshore wind turbines

A future without renewable energy sources has become unrealistic. One of the more promising renewable energy source is wind energy, especially offshore wind energy. However, little is known about the effect of wind, waves and their interaction on the performance of wind turbines. In this PhD a numerical model will be developed that incorporates these effects and that forecasts the optimal location for offshore windfarms. This will be accomplished by coupling a microscale model with a mesoscale model for waves and wind. To obtain an accurate microscale model enough validation data are needed. Thus an experimental campaign will be performed during which wind, waves and their influence on wind turbine performance will be measured. The microscale model will be based on the WiWITS model but will include several improvements. While the microscale model can model power generation of a specific wind turbine, it needs realistic boundary conditions which will be obtained by mesoscale models. These forecast the weather at a specific location and model larger scale weather phenomena compared to microscale models. Furthermore, they will be validated using both weather balloon and satellite measurements. Mesoscale models cannot include small scale elements such as wind turbines. By coupling both models, advantages of both will be combined. Such an integrated model will predict under which wind-wave conditions wind turbines perform optimally and will help in future allocation of windfarms.

Publication year:2021

Accessibility:Open