Evaluation of two mesoscale wind farm parametrisations with offshore tall masts

We use offshore tall mast measurements in the North and Baltic Sea to evaluate wind farm parametrisations in the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. We identify periods before and after the construction of neighbouring wind farms around the tall mast for evaluation purposes. We test multiple WRF model set-ups for the pre-construction period to obtain the best configuration representing the region’s wind climate. Our best set-up is then used with the wind farm parametrisations to investigate wind farm wake effects in the post-construction phase. We use two wind farm parametrisation schemes implemented in the WRF model: the Fitch scheme and the Explicit Wake Parametrisation. We select and prioritise cases of low variability in wind speed and direction to isolate the wake effects. Our results indicate an improvement in the wind speed, as a function of height, using both schemes, with the Fitch scheme creating deeper wakes than EWP. Both parametrisations perform well in cases when the mast is aligned far-downwind of the turbines, with mean wind speed differences of less than 0.2 ms⁻¹. In near-wind cases, the performance of the scheme varies with the site. Finally, our research provides a possible baseline for testing the improvements in the wind farms parametrisations schemes in these offshore regions.