Assessment of Offshore Wind Characteristics and Wind Energy Potential: A Case Study for South Coastal Region of China

Offshore wind energy, as one of the best potential renewable energy sources, has been extensively developed worldwide. However, due to strong regional and seasonal differences, it is necessary to first evaluate offshore wind energy resources in details. In this study, based on an original set of wind recording data obtained from wind measurement tower in south coastal region of China, a comprehensive evaluation for offshore wind characteristics and wind potential in this region is presented. Weibull distribution is utilized to fit offshore wind speed data. Furthermore, variations of mean wind speed, distribution parameters and wind power density are studied through annual, seasonal, monthly and hourly time scales. Results of this study can be used as a certain reference value for power system research (such as probabilistic power flow, reliability evaluation) with large-scale offshore wind power integration.