Ascat winds used for offshore wind energy applications

ASCAT winds, with the extended period of data availability and spatial coverage, are valuable for describing longer-term wind statistics for offshore areas in Europe, where wind energy applications are drastically increasing every year. The aim of the present study is to compare the newly reprocessed stress equivalent ASCAT coastal wind product, available from 2007 to now, with measurements from in situ stations around the European seas. Furthermore, ASCAT 10m mean wind speeds were extrapolated to turbine-relevant hub heights using long-term stability profiles derived from the meso-scale model Weather Research & Forecasting (WRF) and compared with in situ measurements from tall meteorological masts. A long-term wind resource map over the European Seas was produced and is available online, useful for validation with meso-scale models and as a roadmap for the initial siting and planning of offshore wind energy activities. Furthermore, ASCAT winds at 10 m are used to access differences amongst different meso-scale model simulations.