Danish renewable energy group Orsted has signed a deal with a tech startup to create more accurate models of onshore wind flow modelling
Whiffle, a spin out from Dutch Delft University of Technology, will help Orsted tackle the challenges posed by wind behaviour in complex sites, such as forested or mountainous terrains.
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 deal between Whiffle and Orsted 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 Orsted’s operational needs.
Senior energy analyst at Orsted Andrew Davidson commented: “At Orsted, 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.”
Orsted has two operating onshore wind farms in Great Britain – the 62MW Kennoxhead Phase 1 in South Lanarkshire, and the 20MW Labrax in Dumfries & Galloway. A second phase of Kennoxhead aims to add another 112MW to the project this year.
The company also has 25 wind farms across Ireland and Northern Ireland either in operations or development.
In addition, Orsted has two major offshore wind farms in development in the UK, the 2.9GW Hornsea 3 and 2.6GW Hornsea 4.
It is also part of a joint venture with plans to develop the 1GW Stromar floating wind farm off Caithness as part of ScotWind.
CEO at Whiffle Remco Verzijlbergh added: “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.”
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