Long-distance and high-impact wind farm wake effects revealed by SAR: a global-scale study

TL;DR

This study uses SAR satellite data to quantify long-distance wind farm wake effects, revealing impacts over 100 km and significant wind speed reductions, informing future wind farm planning and policy.

Contribution

It provides the first comprehensive global-scale analysis of wind farm wake effects using satellite data, revealing long-distance impacts and quantifying wind speed reductions.

Findings

Wakes can propagate over 100 km.

Average wind speed reduction of 12.4%.

Study covers 60+ wind farms across Europe and Asia.

Abstract

Wind, as a clean and sustainable source of energy, has witnessed significant growth in recent years. However, with a growing number of wind farms authorised, constructed and commissioned, the wake effect (the reduced wind speed caused by upstream wind farms) is emerging as a pressing concern for both farm owners and policymakers. Here, to systematically and comprehensively investigate the wake effects in real-world wind farms, we analyse the wind speed retrieved from 7122 Sentinel 1A/B SAR images spanning over three years, encompassing more than 60 large-scale wind farms across Europe and Asia. Our study reveals that long-distance wakes can propagate more than 100 km. Additionally, we identify that wake effects lead to, on average, a 1.204 m/s (or 12.4%) speed reduction for downstream wake-affected areas. We envisage that our quantitative findings can provide vital support to wake-related planning and legislation for future wind energy projects where wind power plants are expected to be in close proximity.