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Hereon researchers simulate long-term effects of wind and tidal wakes caused by wind turbines in the North Sea for the first time
By 2050, offshore wind power capacity in the North Sea is set to increase more than tenfold. Researchers at the Helmholtz Centre Hereon have analyzed the long-term overall impact of this large number of wind farms on the hydrodynamics of the North Sea for the first time. The result: the current pattern could change on a large scale. The study highlights approaches for minimizing potential risks to the environment at an early stage. The work was recently presented in the Nature journal Communications Earth & Environment.
Offshore wind turbines change the air and ocean currents. The rotors extract wind energy and influence surface currents, while the turbine pillars underwater act as obstacles and slow down tidal currents. These wake structures, known as wake effects, interact with each other and determine the complex physical impacts of offshore wind farms. A research group led by geophysicist Dr Nils Christiansen from the Hereon Institute for Coastal Systems – Analysis and Modeling has now analyzed the effects of both phenomena together for the first time and calculated their extent for the expansion scenario up to 2050.
A new current pattern
The study shows that the interaction of wake effects leads to reductions in peak speeds and changes in flow frequencies in the German Bight. “Our simulations paint a new, finely structured flow pattern that is not only evident within the wind farms but can also spread across the North Sea – with surface speeds slowing by up to 20 percent in an expansion scenario for 2050,” says Christiansen. This can lead to large-scale changes in sediment transport or the mixing of seawater. These factors also shape the marine ecosystem. In addition, the changes in the flow pattern also have consequences for the accuracy of flow predictions, which are relevant for shipping traffic, for example, but also for disaster management, environmental protection, and fisheries.
Minimizing risks at an early stage
In addition to possible large-scale long-term changes, Christiansen and his colleagues also present initial approaches for reducing the impact on the marine environment. The model simulations indicate that the distance between turbines, the location of wind farms, and local tidal conditions are decisive factors in determining the extent to which currents, temperatures, and water mixing change. The results reveal that a greater distance between wind turbines can significantly reduce the superposition of turbulence caused by tidal wakes, leading to less mixing—a key factor that has already been identified in a previous Hereon study in connection with larger turbines and the resulting atmospheric effects. These findings can serve as a basis for sustainable planning and optimized wind farm designs.
“Offshore wind power is a key component of the energy transition and decarbonization,” says Christiansen. “At the same time, we need to understand how different types of offshore installations and the size of the turbines affect the North Sea. Only then can we provide society and the economy with sound information and develop measures to minimize potential risks at an early stage.”
Cutting-edge research for a changing world
The goal of science at the Helmholtz Centre Hereon is to preserve a world worth living in. To this end, around 1,000 employees generate knowledge and research new technologies for greater resilience and sustainability – for the benefit of the climate, the coast, and humanity. The path from idea to innovation involves a continuous interplay between experimental studies, modeling, and artificial intelligence, culminating in digital twins that map the diverse parameters of climate and coastlines or human biology in a computer. This interdisciplinary approach bridges the gap between a fundamental scientific understanding of complex systems and practical scenarios and applications. As an active member of national and international research networks and the Helmholtz Association, Hereon supports politics, business, and society in shaping a sustainable future by transferring the expertise it has gained.
Dr. Nils Christiansen
First Author
Hereon Institute of Coastal Systems – Analysis and Modeling
Email: nils.christiansen@hereon.de
https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-026-03186-8
https://hereon.de/communication_media/news/120250/index.php.en
Offshore-Windpark in der Nordsee.
Source: Hereon/Ina Frings
Copyright: Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon
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