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Europe's offshore wind energy sector faces complex challenges – from new tender designs and technical developments to site assessments and social acceptance. However, a comprehensive project evaluation system that takes all these points into account is still lacking. The EU project WindSCORE, which has been launched in December 2025, is developing a scientifically based 360° evaluation toolbox within the next three years, that incorporates economic, technical, sustainability-oriented, and social criteria, thereby supporting investors and stakeholders.
To this end, the Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems IWES has joined forces with its partners Fondation Open-C, SINTEF, Statnett, TÜV SÜD, Bio-Littoral, and Equinor. The project is co-funded by PTJ/BMWE, Germany, RPL France and RCN Norway as part of the EU initiative Clean Energy Transition Partnership (CETP).
Offshore wind energy plays a key role in Europe's sustainable energy supply. More and more European countries are now relying on tender designs that do not simply reward the lowest price, but take criteria such as sustainability, innovation, and system utility into account. At the same time, new locations, such as in the Atlantic, are coming into focus and need to be evaluated properly. At the moment, there is no comprehensive evaluation system that takes all these factors into account and provides investors with a reliable risk analysis. Another key issue is to generate social acceptance, which is crucial to the success of such projects.
This is where the WindSCORE (Sustainable Criteria and Overall Renewable Evaluation for Offshore Wind Energy) research project comes in: The aim of the project is to develop a decision-making tool in the form of a 360-degree KPI toolbox to improve the structure and design of tender criteria and enable a holistic assessment of offshore wind farm projects. This is intended not only to promote social acceptance of offshore wind energy, but also to provide targeted support to stakeholders in the industry, from tendering to implementation.
WindSCORE integrates aspects such as sustainability, technical innovations – including floating wind turbines – as well as the integration of offshore wind energy into energy systems and grids and operational and maintenance (O&M) efficiency. Social impacts, such as regional value creation, are also to be included in the assessment. For practical application, the evaluation criteria and methods developed form the basis for a draft industry standard.
The Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems IWES is leading the project and taking on key tasks such as site analysis, modeling electricity generation costs, and evaluating technical concepts. A cost model and life cycle simulations are being used to assess the technical and financial sustainability of offshore wind farms.
”The development of the offshore wind industry is a central pillar of the energy transition. To ensure long-term social, political, and economic acceptance and minimize risks in the value chain, the WindSCORE project is developing a transparent, comprehensible 360° KPI-based evaluation system,” states Prof. Marcel Wiggert, responsible for project cooperation at Fraunhofer IWES.
The Norwegian project partner SINTEF´s Dr. Gard Hopsdal Hansen, Centre Director for FME NorthWind, says: “To make sound decisions about offshore wind development, it is essential that both industry and public authorities have access to tools capable of untangling the complexity of offshore wind and providing the most holistic picture possible of the opportunities and challenges for nature and society. This is something many of our industry partners have been asking for.”
Statnett and Equinor, the two other Norwegian partners, contribute to operational experience with power systems and offshore wind farms, respectively, further advancing Norway´s renewable energy transition.
Fondation OPEN-C, one of the two French partners involved, will assess the social sustainability of offshore wind projects by examining their value chain and local content impacts.
"In doing so, we will leverage our socioeconomic expertise acquired through our work on the French Marine Energy Observatory to refine robust evaluation criteria and support the development of future projects across Europe," adds Stéven Curet, Executive Director, Fondation OPEN-C.
Bio-Littoral, the second French partner, will participate in the development of an ecological indicator to assess the impacts of wind turbines on different marine compartments.
WindSCORE's innovative 360° assessment system lays the foundation for the further expansion of offshore wind energy and a climate-friendly power supply. It provides a reliable basis for assessing the risks and opportunities of future projects and locations – with a particular focus on environmental impact and sustainability. Once the project is complete, Fraunhofer IWES will validate the methods developed and the toolbox and further develop them until they are ready for market. WindSCORE thus creates an important foundation for the sustainable future of offshore wind energy. TÜV SÜD is also aiming to develop industry standards. "Investing in research is essential to strengthen sustainability and develop international standards that ensure offshore wind continues to grow as a reliable and responsible source of energy," states Karlheinz Russ, Senior Vice President Infrastructure and Sustainability at TÜV SÜD Energietechnik GmbH.
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Funding Disclaimer: This research was funded by the CETPartnership, under the Joint Call 2024. The CETPartnership’s research projects are co-funded by the European Commission (Grant Agreement No. 101069750) and the national funding organizations listed on the CETP website (https://www.cetpartnership.eu/members).
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Fraunhofer IWES
The Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems IWES conducts application-oriented research for a sustainable future. Wind energy is the backbone of our energy supply – as renewable electricity or in the form of hydrogen – and is based on highly developed plant technology, which is also the result of a large number of innovative research projects at Fraunhofer IWES – from the planning process, development, construction and operation, to the monitoring of the plants, repair processes, service life, and the dismantling and recycling of all components.
Fondation Open-C
OPEN-C Fondation is a non-profit public-interest organization which contributes to a more rapid energy transition and to enhancing France's position on these strategic issues. As a research infrastructure, it coordinates, develops and manages offshore tests. OPEN-C’s overarching contribution to WindScore is focused on its unique offshore wind trial experience, providing a specific viewpoint from higher Technology Readiness Levels.
SINTEF Energi AS
SINTEF Energi AS (SINTEF Energy Research) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization for applied research, innovation and technology development, developing sustainable energy solutions. The organization is a part of the SINTEF Group, one of the largest research institutes in Europe, consisting of more than 2200 employees that contribute to value creation and increased competitiveness within the public and private sectors, in Norway and internationally.
TÜV SÜD
TÜV SÜD is a global testing, inspection and certification company that specialises in promoting sustainability and offers verification/validation and certification to help organisations measure and reduce their environmental impact. TÜV SÜD also offers consulting services to help companies develop and implement sustainable practices. In addition, TÜV SÜD performs audits and inspections to ensure compliance with sustainability standards and regulations.
Statnett
Statnett is the system operator for the Norwegian electricity grid, responsible for ensuring a reliable and secure supply of electricity throughout Norway. The company plays a critical role in the management and development of the national transmission network, which connects various power producers, including renewable energy sources such as hydropower and wind energy, to consumers.
Equinor
Equinor is Europe's most important gas supplier, a global leader in the operation of offshore wind farms and a pioneer when it comes to the energy solutions of tomorrow, which also include CO2 management and hydrogen. Its wind farms already supply over a million households in the UK and Germany. In addition to the gas business, Equinor is increasingly involved in offshore wind power, hydrogen and CO2 management.
Bio-Littoral
Created in 2004, Bio-Littoral carries out environmental monitoring of the marine environment (fauna, flora and habitat) in the Bay of Biscay and the English Channel for the Water Framework Directive and Natura 2000 for 18 years. The company is mainly working for the French State, but also supports ports, marine sand extractors and more recently offshore wind farms to limit their impact.
Contact partner at the Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems IWES
Prof. Dr. Marcel Wiggert
Project coordination
Phone +4915116892201
Email: marcel.wiggert@iwes.fraunhofer.de
www.iwes.fraunhofer.de
When constructing offshore wind farms, criteria such as sustainability, innovation, and system benef ...
Copyright: © Fraunhofer IWES_Gerrit Wolken-Möhlmann
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