An overview of global ocean wind energy resource evaluations. (January 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zheng, Chong Wei; Li, Chong Yin; Pan, Jing; Liu, Ming Yang; Xia, Lin Lin
• Is Part Of: Renewable & sustainable energy reviews. Volume 53(2016:Jan.)
• Page Start: 1240
• Page End: 1251
• Publication Date: 2016-01
• Subjects: Offshore wind energy -- Resource evaluation -- Short-term forecasting -- Medium- to long-term prediction -- Wind energy development index -- Integrated application system; Renewable energy sources -- Periodicals; Power resources -- Periodicals; Énergies renouvelables -- Périodiques; Ressources énergétiques -- Périodiques; 333.794
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2015.09.063
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1364-0321

Abstract

Abstract: With the rapid development of human society, the demand for energy has accordingly increased, and along with this increasingly serious energy and environmental crises have developed. Many countries have been focusing on new energy resources to combat these crises, and offshore wind energy resources are especially attractive; they are safe, non-polluting, renewable, and widely distributed with large reserves, which has made them become the focus of developed countries. However, the distribution of wind energy has strong regional and seasonal differences, which determines the success and efficiency of wind energy developments. Therefore, there is a clear need for "resource evaluation and planning in advance" in the wind energy development. Previous research has made a great contribution to the evaluation of offshore wind energy resources, mostly through analysis of the climatic characteristics of wind energy. In the actual development process of wind energy resources, these analyses of the climatic characteristics of wind energy provide a reference for site selection. However, after constructing wind farms, to aid their operation, there needs to be a more comprehensive understanding of other factors, such as the short-term forecasting and medium- to long-term predictions of wind energy. This paper reviews the research progress of the wind energy resource evaluations, and then considers where future research needs to focus, for the evaluation of wind energy resources. This mainly includes further analyses of the climatic characteristics of wind energy, short-term forecasting, medium- to long-term predictions, early disaster warning systems, the establishment of a wind energy development index (WEDI) and an integrated application system, in hope of providing a reference for offshore wind power generation, seawater desalination and other wind energy resource developments, and accelerating the industrialization and utilization of offshore wind energy. Doing this will alleviate the energy and environmental crises, and promote the sustainable development of human society. Highlights: This study overviews the research progress of the offshore wind energy evaluations. The future focus on the evaluation of wind energy resource is presented. A "wind energy rose" is designed to assess and forecast the wind energy resource. This study emphasizes the grade division of wind energy in different months. This study proposes the establishment of a wind energy development index. A comprehensive evaluation and application system are proposed to establish.