A Metocean Reference Station for Offshore Wind Energy Research in the US

There is an acute need for a long-term metocean reference site that will aid the near-term development of the offshore wind energy industry in the United States. High quality, multi-year observations of the wind resource at hub height in areas relevant to offshore wind energy are a requirement for reducing uncertainties in wind resource assessment, improving the fidelity of numerical models, assimilated products of the resource, and forecasts of near-term operational conditions and wind energy power production. Yet, few long-term data sets exist over the U.S. outer continental shelf that can provide accurate guidance for developers, turbine manufacturers, and utility operators. Thus, there is a critical need for robust, long-term data collection at a site having conditions representative of wind energy development areas. Additionally, an efficient and effective location for validating existing measurement systems and testing and verifying the accuracy of new sensors will play a key role in reducing uncertainty of estimates of the wind resource and reducing the cost and risk associated with offshore development.