Wind Turbine Sizing For Offshore Wind Farms
M.K. Mehta (TU Delft - Wind Energy)
Dominic Von von Terzi – Promotor (TU Delft - Wind Energy)
S.J. Watson – Promotor (TU Delft - Wind Energy)
Michiel Zaayer – Copromotor (TU Delft - Wind Energy)
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Abstract
Offshore wind is central to a decarbonized future, but its high costs remain a challenge. This research investigates the drivers of turbine sizing and their impact on wind farm performance using a Multi-Disciplinary Design Analysis and Optimization (MDAO) framework. Rated power and rotor diameter are explored as key design variables, with implications for both costs and energy production. Case studies for the North Sea show that the optimal size for minimizing the Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCoE) is around 15.5 MW with a 230 m rotor. Sensitivity analyses reveal wind speed and farm density as dominant drivers, while many modeling assumptions shift results along directions where LCoE is relatively flat. Extending the framework to revenue-based objectives shows that market-price correlations influence optimal specific power, though gains are limited. For hydrogen production, the high cost of electrolysis favors low-specific-power turbines. Overall, the findings indicate that continued turbine upscaling offers marginal benefits, highlighting the value of design standardization.
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