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Extreme Wind and Waves in U.S. East Coast Offshore Wind Energy Lease Areas

Author

Listed:
  • Rebecca J. Barthelmie

    (Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA)

  • Kaitlyn E. Dantuono

    (Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA)

  • Emma J. Renner

    (Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA)

  • Frederick L. Letson

    (Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA)

  • Sara C. Pryor

    (Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA)

Abstract

The Outer Continental Shelf along the U.S. east coast exhibits abundant wind resources and is now a geographic focus for offshore wind deployments. This analysis derives and presents expected extreme wind and wave conditions for the sixteen lease areas that are currently being developed. Using the homogeneous ERA5 reanalysis dataset it is shown that the fifty-year return period wind speed ( U 50 ) at 100 m a.s.l. in the lease areas ranges from 29.2 to 39.7 ms −1 . After applying corrections to account for spectral smoothing and averaging period, the associated pseudo-point U 50 estimates are 34 to 46 ms −1 . The derived uncertainty in U 50 estimates due to different distributional fitting is smaller than the uncertainty associated with under-sampling of the interannual variability in annual maximum wind speeds. It is shown that, in the northern lease areas, annual maximum wind speeds are generally associated with intense extratropical cyclones rather than cyclones of tropical origin. Extreme wave statistics are also presented and indicate that the 50-year return period maximum wave height may substantially exceed 15 m. From this analysis, there is evidence that annual maximum wind speeds and waves frequently derive from the same cyclone source and often occur within a 6 h time interval.

Suggested Citation

  • Rebecca J. Barthelmie & Kaitlyn E. Dantuono & Emma J. Renner & Frederick L. Letson & Sara C. Pryor, 2021. "Extreme Wind and Waves in U.S. East Coast Offshore Wind Energy Lease Areas," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-25, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:4:p:1053-:d:500924
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Rebecca J. Barthelmie & Gunner C. Larsen & Sara C. Pryor, 2023. "Modeling Annual Electricity Production and Levelized Cost of Energy from the US East Coast Offshore Wind Energy Lease Areas," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(12), pages 1-29, June.
    2. Jeanie A. Aird & Rebecca J. Barthelmie & Tristan J. Shepherd & Sara C. Pryor, 2022. "Occurrence of Low-Level Jets over the Eastern U.S. Coastal Zone at Heights Relevant to Wind Energy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-20, January.

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