As offshore wind expands globally, new sites are being developed in atmospheric conditions that differ from those in the North Sea. This necessitates robust methods to characterise these conditions, particularly the potential temperature profile, which is essential for modelling energy yield sensitivity.
The microwave radiometer for the detection and assessment of offshore wind resources (MiRadOr) project builds on the outcomes of the Offshore Wind Accelerator radiometry and atmospheric profiling scoping study (OWA RAP) project to investigate how microwave radiometers (MWRs) can enhance offshore wind resource assessment and quantify their benefits to the industry. It aims to improve models for more accurate yield estimates, optimise wind farm economics, operations, and layouts and deepen understanding of interactions between neighbouring wind farms. This is achieved through the analysis of existing datasets, as well as new data gathered in the project’s measurement campaign in Germany.
By reducing uncertainties in energy yield assessments, MWRs can enable cost savings and improve project performance through:
- More accurate prediction of wakes and blockage
- Higher P90/P50 ratios
- Increased Net Present Value (NPV) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR)
- Reduced Levelised Cost of Energy (LCOE)
The project findings will be used to develop best practices for combining MWR and LiDAR for offshore wind resource assessments and to identify next steps for system integration, manufacture, deployment, and testing.
The project was initiated and set up under the Offshore Wind Accelerator (OWA), and the work will be carried out by a consortium of research institutes and industry partners, with funding from the “German Energy Research Programme” through Projektträger Jülich (PtJ).
Key project dates
Project kick-off: April 2025
Project duration: 2 years
Project coordination
The Carbon Trust
Lead partner
University of Heidelberg
Research team
Fraunhofer IWES, RPG Radiometer Physics, University of Heidelberg
Associated industry partners
EnBW, RWE, TotalEnergies, Vattenfall
Setup under
Offshore Wind Accelerator (OWA)
Public funding
Contact
Tom Wishart, Project Manager
Tom.wishart@carbontrust.com
