Embarking on a mission to bolster the accuracy of wind forecasts, a dedicated team ventured to the East Coast for the installment of pivotal instruments.
The Pursuit of Cutting-edge Wind Forecasting
With an unwavering commitment to enhance wind energy predictions and drive down the cost of offshore wind energy, the Wind Forecast Improvement Project 3 (WFIP3) is a groundbreaking initiative. It benefits from the generous support of the U.S. Department of Energy‘s Wind Energy Technology Office and flourishes through collaboration among some of the nation’s leading scientific institutions, including Argonne National Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory—to name a few.
Fostering Advancements in Offshore Wind Energy
WFIP3 is not an isolated endeavor; it draws from the rich experiences and insights gained from two preceding projects. The pioneer WFIP, which began in 2011, concentrated on the wind-rich regions of the upper Great Plains and Texas. It strove to finesse the integration of observational data into forecasting models. A subsequent 2015 initiative turned its focus to the West, tackling the challenging terrain of Oregon and Washington that has previously beset accurate wind modeling efforts.
Now, WFIP3 sets its sights offshore, venturing into the depths of the Atlantic off the New England coast. The challenge is formidable—forecasting in waters where data scarcity hinders model development and testing. By securing additional observations in this demanding milieu, the project is poised to enrich wind energy assessments and sharpen forecasting models. It also aspires to grapple with the extreme weather that could affect future offshore wind farms.
Deploying Innovative Instrumentation
The project has strategically placed instruments at six terrestrial sites, with the Argonne team taking charge of locations that include Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Island. Additionally, a fully instrumented barge will be anchored amidst the sites earmarked for wind turbines, providing vital metocean data that span from sea level to the loftiest points of the atmospheric boundary layer. These detailed observations are instrumental in the refinement and validation of forecast models, deepening our comprehension of offshore wind resources.
Conquering Deployment Challenges
In the face of daunting weather, logistical conundrums, and the sheer physicality of installing heavy instruments, an Argonne-based Environmental Science Division (EVS) team manifested resilience and resourcefulness. Deploying to the East Coast in December 2023, they wrestled with tempests and towering waves. Despite such hurdles, they managed to set up three of the four sites during their initial outing and returned in February 2024 to complete the project.
This tenacious field study team was orchestrated by atmospheric scientist Paytsar Muradyan, with valuable contributions from fellow atmospheric experts such as Joe O’Brien, Max Grover, and Bobby Jackson, operating under the guidance of project lead and senior scientist Rao Kotamarthi.
The relentless winds and surging waves indicative of a violent nor’easter once forced the team into a holding pattern, taking refuge in a Rhode Island hotel. This tumultuous weather assaulted the WFIP-3 area, sparking severe erosion at the Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket locations and compelling the relocation of partner instruments.
