Large-eddy simulations coupled to a spectral wave model for enhanced metocean modelling in offshore wind farms

Abstract

Offshore wind energy is considered as a powerful form of renewable energy generation. It plays an important role in accelerating the world’s transition towards sustainable energy sources and reducing carbon emissions by fossil fuels. This study focuses on the advancement of service planning, related to this renewable energy source, by researching high resolution metocean modelling. The research aims to assess and advance the modelling performance of typical metocean parameters by using atmospheric large-eddy simulations coupled to a spectral wave model. The GPU-Resident Atmospheric Simulation Platform (GRASP) coupled to Simulating WAves Nearshore (SWAN) was used to simulate the atmospheric- and oceanic conditions in the Gemini wind farm, located in Dutch waters. Large-scale boundary- and initial conditions were provided by the fifth generation of ECMWF’s ReAnalysis (ERA5). Relevant metocean parameters were modelled using two different coupling configurations. The one-way coupled simulation concerns the forcing of SWAN by GRASP friction velocities, for an accurate representation of the one-way momentum exchange to the ocean surface. The two-way coupled simulation concerns the momentum exchange of the friction velocity and roughness length. To accurately represent the sea surface roughness, the parameterization of Taylor and Yelland (2001) was used in this study. Both coupled configurations were used to simulate the first two months of 2017, which were subsequently validated using the available observations.
This study revealed that both coupled simulations caused a reduced value for the roughness length in wind- and wave wake conditions. Furthermore, a spatially averaged reduction in the sea state is observed due to the wake effect, where the magnitude of this wave deficit follows the line of a typical wind turbine thrust curve. The effect is however small compared to a realistic significant wave height. Besides, the two-way coupled simulations provided higher average roughness lengths in comparison to the one-way coupled simulations. This resulted in higher friction velocities and drag coefficients for the two-way coupled simulations, which subsequently reduced the time- and slab averaged wind profiles.
Moreover, the modelling performance of SWAN improves when it is forced by GRASP friction velocities instead of ERA5 wind fields. In addition, the established two-way coupled simulation is proven to be an enhancement for the spectral wave model in comparison to the one-way coupled configuration. The performance of the atmospheric large-eddy simulation could also benefit from the two-way coupled configuration. However, it is sensitive to the implemented roughness length parameterization.