KliWiSt
The influence of climate change on wind energy site assessments
In the "KliWiSt" project, GERICS is investigating the influence of climate change on wind energy site assessment in the coming decades under the leadership of Fraunhofer IWES. In addition, concrete recommendations for action for the future determination of yield assessments for wind farms are to be derived from this. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) is funding the project with a total of 1.16 million euros until 2024.
In the KliWiSt research project, the project partners are analysing climatic changes in the wind over the next 50 years and their possible effects on the yields of wind farms. They are focusing on an investigation of the change in relevant parameters due to climate change, which will be considered in the site assessment and the updating of the site quality in operation for existing and future wind energy projects. The focus will naturally be on the wind potential component. In addition, other yield-relevant aspects, such as the climate change-related influence on flight conditions of bats, migratory birds or also on an icing risk, will be compiled and analysed. Climate projections show changes in meteorological parameters under the ongoing global climate change. New recommendations for the consideration of climate uncertainties in wind farm planning are derived from the results. With the climate changes, it is necessary to review the existing calculation bases.
KliWiSt is to investigate the central questions for a more precise project planning of wind farms: What fluctuations in yield can be expected in Germany in the future due to climate change? Are these climate fluctuations already taken into account accurately enough in site assessments today and how should these changes caused by climate change be sensibly taken into account in yield assessments of the future? The project on the influence of climate change on wind will therefore contribute to further optimising wind farm planning and adapting tomorrow's wind farms to these conditions by taking into account changes caused by climate change that are already foreseeable today.
Project partner Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems