A new method for estimating off-shore wind potentials

Exploitation of wind energy is currently near economic viability at many sites, including coast-near locations on- or off-shore. Because meteorological measuring stations are largely placed on land, the estimation of potential production from off-shore sites is more difficult and has been unreliable in predicting the precise advantage of the more consistent and higher wind speeds known to prevail over the sea (Srensen, 2004). A new method for off-shore wind power prediction is presented here, based on sweeping microwave radar (scatterometer) measurements by satellite, that provide radar wind data from reflections by the sea surface or air-borne water particles over the sea surface. The original purpose of these satellite missions was to explore sea-atmosphere interactions that are important for climate modelling (Chelton et al., 2004).