Evaluating the offshore wind potential. A combined approach using remote sensing and statistical methods

In the framework of the current development of offshore wind energy exploitation, an accurate evaluation of the wind potential is crucial for siting windmills. There is a strong need for accurate statistical data from non-intrusive means, such as spaceborne radar data. This paper deals with the methodology developed to provide accurate offshore wind potential statistics. The method developed to obtain accurate wind maps from ERS SAR (synthetic aperture radar) images is presented. Then, considering the need of dense statistical information for evaluating the wind potential, a data fusion methodology is exposed.