Research & Development

Wind and ocean dynamics

Through original approaches combining observation and modelling, we can accurately characterise wind, waves and currents. This reduces uncertainties in yield and design calculations and makes business plans more realistic. Our work thus helps to ensure the profitability of offshore wind farm projects.

Securing profitability of offshore wind farms

By combining observation and modelling, we accurately characterise the main offshore physical parameters, namely wind, waves and currents. These approaches enable us to reduce uncertainties in yield and design calculations from the preliminary stages of projects. We incorporate the effects of climate change, increased farms density and larger turbine sizes into our work. Having detailed data to establish realistic business plans enables operators to ensure the profitability of their wind farm projects.

R&D topics linked to the needs of the offshore wind sector

Wind turbulence

Atmospheric turbulence corresponds to rapid variations in the speed and direction of air particles, which generate vortex structures that induce significant stresses on structures and impact the wake of wind turbines. Offshore measurements are necessary to validate the numerical models used. While the systematic deployment of anemometers on offshore masts is ruled out due to high costs, the use of devices such as lidars is well suited to conduct observations at sea. We have therefore developed a robust methodology that allows the intensity of turbulence to be accurately characterised based on such measurements (POWSEIDOM Project).

As lidars are generally deployed on buoys, we are currently developing a motion compensation algorithm to calculate turbulence parameters. We are also working on the parameterisation of WRF-type mesoscale models to characterise turbulence at a site of interest (DRACCAR-NEMO Project).

TwinDAR© Tool

Far wakes

The wake effect behind a wind turbine or wind farm has an impact on the performance of adjacent systems over distances greater than 50 km. This affects both their energy yield and their lifespan, and therefore their profitability. Given the increasing installed capacity, the density of farms will increase, inevitably leading to interference between them. We have begun work to identify how atmospheric conditions influence the characteristics of distant wakes. We are also studying the impact of large-scale offshore wind deployment on wind resources and the energy yield of wind farms (FARWAKES Project).

FARWAKES Project

Extreme metocean conditions

A lack of knowledge about stormy sea states introduces significant safety factors when designing offshore systems. Controlling the risks associated with extreme metocean conditions is therefore key to reduce costs.

Since 2017, we have been working on characterising breaking waves that can exert significant loads on fixed and floating offshore wind turbines (DIME Project). We have established a method for defining the design sea state and better accounting for breaking waves in coupled models (DIMPACT Project). We are currently improving this method to more accurately quantify the impact force of this type of wave and adapt it to shallow waters (DIMPACT+ Project).

The offshore wind industry targets areas that are or will be exposed to tropical cyclones. For these relatively rare extreme events, the definition of wind value is generally reliable, but this is not the case for waves. This leads to inconsistencies in the definition of metocean conditions over 25 years, which must be taken into account in the final stage of offshore wind turbine design. We have therefore developed a method that reduces uncertainty in the estimation of combined wind and wave extremes (OROWSHI Project).

TAIFU-WindWaves© Tool

Climate change

Over the coming decades, wind resources could change as a result of climate change. This would then have an impact on the amount of energy produced and the design of the systems. The question is whether these changes will be positive or negative for the profitability of wind farms. We launched a project on this topic in 2023.

Initial results suggest a slight decrease in average wind conditions and an increase in the intensity of extreme events. This must be qualified, given the high level of uncertainty associated with the results from different climate projection models (2C NOW Project). We are therefore currently working on quantifying these uncertainties, and ultimately the potential output, based on different scenarios, as well as developing recommendations for the design of future wind turbines (2C MORE Project).

2C NOW Project

Hydro-sedimentary processes

Particle and element flows, as well as changes in sedimentary structures, have direct implications for the design, location, longevity and safety of wind farms.

Coastal evolution, particularly due to climate change, has a significant impact on the landing zone for export power cables. We are therefore working on the construction and validation of a digital twin to predict coastal morphology evolution while assessing the associated uncertainties (2C NOW and 2C MORE Projects).

The study of chemical dispersion also requires knowledge of hydro-sedimentary processes. Whether dealing with metals or brines, it is crucial to know where and in what quantities they will end up after their release. We have conducted and are still conducting several hydrodynamic modelling studies on this subject in order to carry out ecotoxicological studies. The aim is to characterise the chemical risk to aquatic species (ANODE, PEARL and OPHARM2 Projects).

Finally, submarine dunes, found mainly in the eastern English Channel and the North Sea, display extreme morphological variability and can move at considerable speeds. Increased monitoring of offshore infrastructure may be necessary. That is why we have conducted in-depth studies on the dynamics of these dunes and how to model them accurately (DUNES and MODULLES Projects).

MODULLES Project

A dedicated team and resources to ensure the profitability of offshore wind farm projects

Our Wind & Ocean Dynamics Department covers a wide range of disciplines. Its work focuses on atmospheric physics and physical oceanography. Our team’s research combines numerical modelling, tank tests, sea trials and data analysis

The Institute has two facilities that are particularly well suited to studying wind, waves and currents. The first is a multi-instrumented met mast located on the edge of the Fécamp offshore wind farm. It is equipped with a lidar, a stereo video system and a network of pressure sensors and accelerometers deployed throughout the structure. Our Institute also has a profiling lidar deployed in the Mediterranean.

Our Wind & Ocean Dynamics Team

Met mast

Examples of international collaborations

Fraunhofer IWES | Germany

Fraunhofer IWES is a German applied research institute specialising in wind energy and hydrogen. We are co-leading the NEMO R&D project, which aims to develop methodologies and tools for a comprehensive assessment of atmospheric turbulence at potential offshore wind farm sites.

IEA Wind Task 56 | International

Task 56 of the IEA Wind international research collaboration programme aims to improve the accuracy of structural load models used to design offshore wind energy systems. As part of this, France Energies Marines is leading a working group on the implementation in these digital tools of the loads induced by breaking waves on wind turbine structures.

Ørsted | Denmark

Ørsted is a Danish developer of offshore wind farms with an installed capacity of 10.2 GW and 8.1 GW under construction. Our teams are working together on the OROWSHI R&D project to develop a tool for estimating extreme wind and wave statistics during tropical cyclones.

Supergen ORE Hub | United-Kingdom

Supergen ORE Hub is a British research network that brings together universities, industry and public authorities to stimulate innovation in offshore renewable energy. This entity is a partner in the DIMPACT+ R&D project, which aims to better account for the loads exerted by breaking waves on wind turbines to optimise system design and thus the profitability of offshore wind farms.

Our Wind and ocean dynamics R&D projects

See all

Closed

In progress

Our team and our partners testify

The evaluation process is not simply a box-checking exercise, it’s a real opportunity to discuss the content.

Salvatore D’ARCO

Sintef

Member of STC from 2018 to 2022

It was very important for us to be truly involved in the project to give substance to the partnership dimension in which we strongly believe.

Lisa GARNIER

RTE

Biodiversity R&D Manager

Another key strength of this Committee was that it is made up of researchers from different backgrounds, laboratories and countries. This leads to very rich and stimulating discussions.

Senu SIRNIVAS

National Laboratory of the Rockies

Member of STC from 2018 to 2022

We had to argue that we were on a growth trajectory and that we would soon become an institute of reasonable size.

Julien MARCHAL

France Energies Marines

Chairman from 2017 to 2021

That pioneering period was an exhilarating human adventure that will remain a highlight of my professional career.

Christophe CHABERT

France Energies Marines

Chairman from 2015 to 2017 and from 2021 to 2022

The direction we had initially envisaged has changed, but the result is exactly what we had hoped for. We can be proud of that!

Vincent DENBY WILKES

France Energies Marines

Chairmand from 2012 to 2015