Fast, accurate and reliable assessment of metocean conditions

The 2013 Dutch Energy Agreement initiated the Netherlands’ goal to increase its offshore wind capacity significantly. In 2022, the Dutch Government announced a new offshore wind energy target of 21 GW by 2030. By then, offshore wind farms will supply 16% of the energy required in the Netherlands and 75% of the present electricity needs.

Challenge

High-quality and reliable metocean data is fundamental to the success of any marine project such as in the design, operation and maintenance of offshore wind farms. Consistent and reliable metocean data has resulted in reduced cost for the design of various offshore wind farm projects in Europe.

Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), part of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, is responsible for the provision of site data for wind farm sites in the Netherlands. RVO needed access to high-quality data on metocean conditions to serve as crucial input for the safe and cost-efficient design, installation and maintenance of offshore wind turbines and their related structures.

Solution

Together with partners, DHI has been working with RVO for years by providing reliable metocean services to support the country in its offshore wind energy roadmap. In earlier projects, DHI delivered the world’s first certified web-based metocean database – based on more than 40 years of modelling results – to support offshore wind development in numerous wind farm zones in the Netherlands.

In 2022, we continued the collaboration through a successful bid to perform the first-ever combined wind resource assessment and metocean conditions study. This study will deliver data for Dutch offshore wind farm zones – IJmuiden Ver, Nederwiek and Doordewind. Similar to our previous collaborations, data from the detailed metocean assessments will be made publicly available to developers through DHI’s Metocean Data Portal.

Results

With validated, high-quality metocean data delivered through DHI’s Metocean Data Portal, RVO can provide developers with easy all-in-one access to accurate wind, wave, water level and current conditions to optimise their designs.

• Our collaboration throughout the years has resulted in the world’s first certified web-based metocean database
• The industry now has easy access to certified, high quality and consistent metocean data in the Dutch North Sea area
• The data portal supports cost-effective development of future offshore wind farms to meet the Netherlands' energy ambitions