By Renewable Energy Focus staff

ECN will hire a meteorological tower that is going to be built by RWE this autumn at a distance of about 40 nautical miles (~75 km) off the coast, west of IJmuiden.

Sensors will be installed at four different heights (between 30 and 100 m) that measure and record wind speed, wind direction, temperature and pressure fluctuations.

The meteorological tower will also be used for measuring sea currents and wave data.

In addition, there are plans to install a Lidar system on Lichteiland Goeree, located 16 nautical miles (~30 km) southwest of Hoek van Holland.

All measuring data will be collected in a database that will become available to the public. Moreover, the outcome of the research will be used in the research and development programme of the Far and Large Offshore Wind (FLOW) consortium. FLOW aims to increase the reliability of far offshore and deep water wind farms, to accelerate the development and lower the risks and costs.

ECN’s Wind Energy department was commissioned to conduct the programme by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation.