By 2020, at least 20% of the energy supply in the EU should stem from renewable sources. Wind, a proven source of clean, affordable energy, will play a key role in reaching this binding target. The wind power sector has grown exponentially in recent years and is expected to continue to expand rapidly. To understand where wind farms can be sited most cost-effectively and in an environmentally sustainable manner, detailed wind potential assessments have to be performed.

Copernicus satellites provide insight into Europe's wind energy potential.

Satellites show where the most wind energy can be harnessed while minimising the cost and impact to the environment. They provide accurate and timely information on a variety of environmental parameters such wind and waves, weather conditions, topography and vegetation cover. This information is essential for the selection and of a suitable wind farm site and to ensure optimal exploitation from its operation. Space-based assessments are especially useful for offshore sites as measurements are difficult to obtain from other means.

Three different types of sensors are mostly used in the life cycle of a wind farm (on land and offshore): radar altimeters measuring parameters related to the state of the sea such as significant wave height and wind speed, scatterometers measuring wind fields, and image radar sensors measuring wind, wave, terrain roughness and orography. The unique characteristics of these data, complementing traditional ground-based measurements, make them indispensable for planners, investors and decision-makers.

One key parameter to identifying potential new offshore wind farm sites is sea-surface wind fields. Earth observation satellites provide a cost-effective approach for measuring these wind fields over large areas of open sea. As well as scatterometer images, radar images improve current knowledge on wind fields and provide insight into a region’s clean energy potential. The image on the left shows a coastal wind map over Denmark and northern Germany using observations from Envisat ASAR, a Copernicus contributing radar mission that was operational until May 2012.

SPACE SUPPORTS EUROPE'S RENEWABLE ENERGY FUTURE

“During the installation phase of an off-shore wind park, substantial benefits could be derived from a satellite-based service providing an indication of the weather-related work window of opportunity resulting in a potential number of offshore working days.”

Jörg EngichtManaging Director, German Offshore Consult GmbH

Source: CEOS & ESA, Title image: EWEA/WINTER

Facts

> In 2010, investment in new European wind farms reached € 13 billion, which included € 2.6 billion for farms offshore

> In 2010, over 40% of all new electricity-generating capacity installed in the EU was from renewable energies, of which 17% came from wind energy alone

> In the EU, around 190 000 people were in employment related to wind energy in 2010

Benefits

Earth observation satellites:

> improve significantly the identification of potential on-shore and offshore wind farm sites

> support investment decisions and wind farm management

> improve meteorological wind forecasting models

Policy Objectives

> EU Directive on renewable energy sources

> European Energy 2020 Strategy

> UN Framework Convention on Climate Change

www.esa.int/copernicus • http://copernicus.eu/

LAND MARINE ATMOSPHERE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CLIMATE CHANGE SECURITY

ISSUE 12 / SEPTEMBER 2013

Measuring the wind of change over Europe

Sentinel-1

The Copernicus Sentinel-1 radar mission will provide detailed information about the state of the sea, in particular, wind-field speeds and interferometric measurements, thereby, responding directly to user requirements for wind farm sites.

Sentinel-1 design was driven by the need for continuity of ERS/Envisat type data with improved revisit, coverage, timeliness and reliability of service.

The first Sentinel-1 satellite will be ready for launch in 2014, shortly followed by a twin satellite.

This false colour Envisat ASAR radar image, which is normally black and white, shows the wind fields over the North Sea around Denmark and northern Germany in September 2009. Speed values range from 0 to 32 km per second. Wind speeds and directions are indicated by the size and colour of the arrows.

Source: EEA & ESA

The Copernicus Marine Monitoring Service makes use of satellite data to provide reference information on marine fields, thereby providing energy users with daily forecasts and analyses.

Example products:

> Global wind observation products such as wind speed, fields and stress

Sentinel-1, a dedicated Copernicus mission, will contribute to operational wind-energy mapping and monitoring by providing:

> a continuity of C-band Synthetic Aperture Radar data

> large geographical coverage

> observations independent of weather

Sentinel-1 data will support the European wind-energy industry by mapping and monitoring a variety of environmental parameters.

Sentinel contribution

> Continue research and development on wind-energy sites, mapping and monitoring

> Integrate, standardise and disseminate results of past and present large-scale Earth-observation based initiatives

> Improve data interpretation methods for wind energy purposes

> Enhance the existing re-analysis systems by including satellite-based data

COPERNICUS ACTIVITIESCopernicus services Next steps

www.esa.int/copernicus • http://copernicus.eu/

ISSUE 12 / SEPTEMBER 2013