Whiffle and Ørsted enter joint development agreement to enhance onshore wind flow modelling

Forested and mountainous regions are among the most difficult environments for accurate wind flow modelling due to the strong spatial variability in tree height, canopy density, and terrain features. These factors create turbulent wind patterns and significant reductions in wind speeds, which traditional wind modelling tools, with their limited resolution, often fail to accurately capture.

The JDA between Whiffle and Ørsted will drive improvements in the LES model by integrating detailed terrain and vegetation data, ensuring that wind simulations are more accurate and reliable in challenging onshore environments. The focus will be on refining the model to align with Ørsted’s operational needs.

Andrew Davidson, Senior Energy Analyst at Ørsted, commented: “At Ørsted, we continuously strive to improve our wind resource assessment through various initiatives. With wind being the very foundation for wind farm revenue, accurately predicting the available wind resource is crucial for developing a wind farm and building its business case. By partnering with Whiffle to enhance their Large Eddy Simulation model for onshore sites, where complex topography and forestry often present challenges, we aim to deliver commercial benefits for our onshore projects.”

Remco Verzijlbergh, CEO at Whiffle, added: “We’re very happy to be able to collaborate with Ørsted in the coming period. This joint development is a pivotal step in strengthening our LES model to meet the demands of the most challenging onshore environments. By combining high-resolution data with our state-of-the-art simulation capabilities, we’re not just improving our model – we’re setting new standards for wind resource assessments that will directly impact the success and efficiency of onshore wind projects.”

For more news and technical articles from the global renewable industry, read the latest issue of Energy Global magazine.

Energy Global's Autumn 2024 issue

Dive into the latest renewable energy insights in the Autumn issue of Energy Global, out now! The issue starts with an insightful guest comment from Cristiano Spillati, Managing Director at Limes Renewable Energy where he discusses the need for European renewable energy suppliers to accelerate the rate of the energy transition. This is followed by a regional report from Cornwall Insights on the battery energy storage industry in Australia. This issue explores key topics including offshore wind subsea cables, offshore wind support vessels, digitalisation, wind turbine components, and more!

Read the article online at: https://www.energyglobal.com/wind/07102024/whiffle-and-rsted-enter-joint-development-agreement-to-enhance-onshore-wind-flow-modelling/