Energy data and intelligence specialist TGS has completed a wind and weather data collection campaign off the east coast of the United States. This operation involved the simultaneous deployment of five marine LiDAR buoys along nearly 600 kilometers from Massachusetts to the Virginia-North Carolina border during the period July 2022 to July 2024.
The quality and scope of the information
This extensive campaign was conducted under TGS’s multi-client model, allowing multiple stakeholders to subscribe to the same floating LiDAR data. This approach helps offshore wind stakeholders reduce costs and time in obtaining accurate data, thereby reducing energy uncertainty.
[post_relacionado]TGS used the collected data to correct biases in its numerical weather prediction(NWP) model simulations, achieving the most extensive and validated high-resolution wind resource dataset along the U.S. East Coast.
Wind and meteorological data collection
Developers are using both quality-controlled measured data and corrected NWP models to adjust their bidding strategies in BOEM’s upcoming Mid-Atlantic offshore wind lease auction. The LiDAR data reveal different wind speeds compared to previous studies, demonstrating the value of direct measurements and the risks of relying on uncorrected models for decision making.
The company achieved superior data quality and efficient operation in the five deployments, all carried out in collaboration with EOLOS, achieving an average LiDAR data availability of 94% at a height of 140 meters. At each site, detailed data was collected on wind speed and direction at various heights, as well as wave and ocean current information.
In addition, four of the buoys were buoys were equipped with acoustic devices to monitor birds and bats, and seafloor to monitor birds and bats, and sensors mounted on the seafloor to measure additional parameters, including acoustic monitors to detect marine mammal vocalizations.
Continuous and real-time access to data
“TGS is consolidating on technological advances in the global offshore wind industry, and the scale of our offshore LiDAR measurements along the East Coast of the country. These unique measurements allow developers to accurately assess the actual variability of wind resources in most offshore wind lease areas in the American country.”
Carel Hooijkaas, Executive Vice President of New Energy Solutions at TGS.
Throughout the deployment, data was continuously acquired and monitored, with daily access available to customers through the TGS Wind AXIOM platform. The measurement campaign and its reference model derivatives are designed to be long-lived, providing a high-quality reference data set for wind resource analysis in future lease sales and construction projects for the next 15 years.
With more floating LiDAR buoy deployments active and planned globally, TGS continues to support the industry by providing reliable and cost-effective energy data solutions for offshore wind stakeholders.
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Source and photo: TGS