Nowcasting Wind, Wave, Current and Turbulence Intensity for Offshore Wind Power Operation and Maintenance

Abstract

In order to improve offshore wind power operation and maintenance (O&M), particularly during tropical and non-tropical cyclones, short-term forecasts or nowcasts up to 6 hours of meteorological and oceanographic (met-ocean) parameters including wind, waves, currents and turbulence intensity are needed. On the basis of numerous air-sea and wind-wave interaction experiments, datasets are analyzed including those from simultaneous measurements of wind and waves during Hurricane Wilma. Formulas are presented for nowcasts of met-ocean parameters. For quality assurance, these proposed formulas are further verified by independent datasets as provided in the literature. This manual-like guide should be useful for offshore wind-power O&M technicians and operators.