DIGITAL

Support of Wind Resource Modeling Using Earth Observation - A European Perspective on the Status and Future Options

Publication from Digital

Esch, T.; Hasager, C. B.; Elsner, P.;, , Metz, A. & Roth, A.

Remote Sensing for Sustainability, CRC Press - Taylor and Francis Group, Pages 297-316 , 1/2016

Abstract:

This contribution outlines the potential of remote sensing data to support wind resource modelling especially through improved input parameterization regarding the state and characterization of the land surface. Wind speed and wind flow is strongly influenced by land surface properties. Three different remote sensing based parameters can help to characterize wind resources: a) land cover and land use; b) digital elevation models (DEM); c) phenological information. Earth observation data are used already in wind resource models to some extent. However, the new advances and especially the possibilities which open up through the Copernicus Sentinel satellites are not considered yet. Opportunities include seasonal mapping of land cover which will allow a precise quantification of vegetation cover which has a direct influence on heat fluxes. The use of newest DEMs like Tandem-X with a 12 m resolution allows detecting also small landscape feature like rows of hedges and trees. Further, elevation models derived by either photogrammetric approaches or airborne laser scanning can further refine the information. By using EO-based information on the surface, e.g. roughness, and in-situ wind measurements, realistic wind fields for sufficiently large areas can be derived by considering also shadowing effects and wind shear.