Analysis of Wind Speed Shear and Turbulence LiDAR Measurements to Support Offshore Wind in the Northeast United States

This paper presents wind speed measurements collected at 40m to 200m above sea-level to support the New England Aqua Ventus I 12 MW Floating Offshore Wind Farm to be located 17km offshore the Northeast United States. The high-altitude wind speed data are unique and represent some of the first measurements made offshore in this part of the country which is actively being developed for offshore wind. Multiple LiDAR measurements were made using a DeepCLiDAR floating buoy and LiDARs located on land on a nearby island. The LiDARs compared favorably thereby confirming the LiDAR buoy measurements. Wind speed shear profiles are presented. The measurements are compared against industry standard mesoscale model outputs and offshore design codes including the American Bureau of Shipping, American Petroleum Institute, and DNV-GL guides. Significant variation in the vertical wind speed profile occurs throughout the year. This variation is not currently addressed in offshore wind design standards which typically recommend the use of only a few values for wind shear in operational and extreme conditions. The mean wind shears recorded were also higher than industry recommended values. Additionally, turbulence measurements made from the LiDAR, although not widely accepted in the scientific community, are presented and compared against industry guidelines.