Conjointly developed byMeteodyn and CLS, the SARWind® TIMESERIES service offers long-term,high-resolution wind data dedicated to offshore wind farm developers for windresource assessment studies.
Saint-Herblain, France
Vattenfall has independently validated theSARWind® TIMESERIES service, designed by CLS and METEODYN, at a met mast in theNorth Sea. This validation follows a five-year benchmarking period against mastmeasurements. It confirms the high accuracy and value of SARWind® for offshorewind resource assessment.
Vattenfall, one of Europe'slargest producers and retailers of electricity and a company committed tofossil freedom, has independently validated the SARWind® TIMESERIES data.
This validation follows afive-year period benchmark (2018–2022), during which METEODYN providedVattenfall with hourly wind speed and direction time series at a height of 100meters, derived from satellite-based SAR observations, for the entire period.
This data was then compared byVattenfall to mast measurements at one offshore site in the North Sea. Theresults of this comparison demonstrate strong alignment with reference data:
Thisbenchmark reveals that SARWind® TIMESERIES notably outperforms mesoscale modelsby reducing the estimation error of Annual Energy Production (AEP) by 1.42%.This makes it a more precise and reliable alternative for planning offshorewind projects.
In addition to wind speed,SARWind® TIMESERIES also captures the wind direction distribution and annualand diurnal wind cycles more accurately, providing developers and operatorswith comprehensive, high-resolution insights.
Figure 1 - Wind rose of SARWind® TIMESERIESderived from SAR observations
SARWind® TIMESERIES isavailable to download on METEODYN’s Wind Data Portal: https://meteodyn.com/product/offshore-met-mast-sarwind-northern-europe/
More information about SARWind®technology: https://energies-and-infrastructures-monitoring.groupcls.com/solutions/wind-energy/offshore-wind-resource-assessment-sarwind/
Dr. Sascha Erbslöh, Head of Offshore WindResource and Production at Vattenfall: “The benchmarking effort and theresulting high correlation with mast measurements clearly demonstrate therobustness and practical value of the solution. This work meaningfully advancesthe state of offshore wind resource assessment and showcases the strength ofthe collaboration between Meteodyn and CLS in delivering high‑quality data relevant to theindustry."
Dr. Marie Cathelain, Offshore Wind Expertand Technical Lead of the Offshore product line at Meteodyn and CLS Group: “The development ofSARWind® technology began in 2019, based on a technology transfer of satellitedata processing techniques to the offshore wind sector. Afteryears of research and development, deployed two years ago, we now have a fullyoperational and accurate service. Today, SARWind®TIMESERIES is currently finding its market, with three international contractssecured to date: one on the west coast of the United States, one in Estonia,and two in Italy. The data is also available for download via METEODYN’s WindData Portal. This benchmark,validated by Vattenfall, confirms the accuracy of SARWind® TIMESERIES andbrings the technology one step closer to widespread adoption in offshore windresource assessment."
PRESS CONTACTS:
Lola TESSIER,Communication Manager, METEODYN – lola.tessier@meteodyn.com +33 (0) 749 235 163
MarieCATHELAIN, Offshore Wind Expert (PhD) and Technical Lead of the Offshoreproduct line, Meteodyn and CLS – mcathelain@groupcls.com +33 (0) 767 235 073
Moreinformation about Vattenfall
Vattenfallis one of Europe’s leading energy companies. Activein electricity, heating, and integrated energy solutions, the group’s missionis to enable fossil-free living within one generation. Operatingin Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, and the United Kingdom,Vattenfall is a major player in offshore wind energy, with one of the largestdevelopment portfolios in Europe. www.vattenfall.com
More information about METEODYN
Foundedin 2003, Meteodyn is an international company specializing in digital windengineering, climatology, and meteorology. With more than 900 clients in 50+countries, Meteodyn is renowned for its Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) windflow modelling expertise. Subsidiary of the CLS Group, Meteodyn is headquarteredin Saint-Herblain, France, and has strengthened its international presence withtwo subsidiaries located in China and in India. Initially focused on thedevelopment of wind flow modelling CFD software (such as Meteodyn WT and UrbaWind®),the company now offers multiple software solutions (Meteodyn EC1 — leading web applicationfor wind safety in the construction industry in France — as well as MeteodynWPA and RT Windmap). The company also provides a wide range of servicesdedicated to renewable energy, buildings, transportation, power grids, andclimate change adaptation (Wind Power Forecasting, Virtual Met Mast, ClimateChange Analytics, Wind Load Assessment, Railway Crosswind Safety, etc.). Duringthe past 20 years, the Meteodyn Group has been supporting and guidingprofessionals in building a sustainable, cleaner, and safer future. www.meteodyn.com
More information about CLS
CLS is a globalcompany, mission-driven, and pioneer provider of monitoring and surveillancesolutions for the Earth, created in 1986. CLS is a subsidiary of the FrenchSpace Agency (CNES) and CNP, an investment firm. Its mission is to createinnovative space-based solutions to understand and protect our planet and tomanage its resources sustainably. CLS employs almost 1200 people at ourheadquarters in Toulouse (France) and in 41 other sites around the world. Thecompany works in five strategic markets: sustainable fisheries management,environmental monitoring, maritime surveillance, mobility, and energies &infrastructures. CLS processes data from 200,000 beacons per month (such asdrifting buoys, animal tags, VMS beacons, & LRIT tracking) and observes theoceans and inland waters (every day more than 20 instruments onboard satellitesdeliver information to CLS on the world's seas and oceans). In addition, CLS monitorsland and sea activities by satellite (nearly 20,000 radar and optical imagesand several hundred drone flights are processed each year). The CLS Group had arevenue of nearly 220 million Euros in 2024. Committed to a sustainable planet,every day the company works for Earth, from Space. www.cls.fr
More information about CNES
CNES (Centre National d’ÉtudesSpatiales) is the government agency responsible for shaping and implementingFrench space policy in Europe. It designs and puts satellites into orbit andinvents the space systems of tomorrow; it promotes the emergence of newservices useful in everyday life. Founded in 1961, CNES has developed majorspace projects, launchers, and satellites and is the industry’s natural partnerfor promoting innovation. The agency has nearly 2,500 employees passionateabout space and its infinite, innovative fields of application. They work infive areas: the Ariane project, science, observation, telecommunications, anddefense. CNES is a major player in technological innovation, economicdevelopment, and France’s industrial policy. It also forges scientificpartnerships and is involved in many international cooperative endeavours.France, represented by CNES, is one of the main contributors to the EuropeanSpace Agency (ESA). www.cnes.fr
More information about CNP
CNP is aprivate investment company founded by Albert Frère and a preeminent player onthe European investment market.
Backed by astable family shareholder base, CNP manages a net asset value of €3bn, focusingon long-term value creation by actively supporting the management teams of thecompanies in which it holds majority or leading stakes.
From thestart, CNP has sought to foster entrepreneurship: with permanent capital at itsdisposal, CNP comes in as a trusted partner to both founders and managers, andtailors its commitment with their ambition in mind.