NearWake research project

The NearWake project creates the conditions for maximum efficient land use of wind energy for new and existing wind farms in Germany, especially for repowering, by improving knowledge of the close wake of wind turbines and its simulation capability, thus advancing the state of the art for the planning and operation of closely spaced wind farms. It provides a boost for the expansion path up to 2035. The project has the challenging task of building a bridge from basic research into the physics of the near wake through modeling to the first prototypes for application. Experimental and numerical research contributions of varying degrees of detail and representativeness generate a unique database for modeling and validation on the basis of the WiValdi research wind farm. Reliable models are being developed for inflow, turbulence and loads in the near wake, the physical processes of which are not yet fully understood or mapped in the industrial process chain. The new models lead to the creation and evaluation of initial prototypes for further scientific and industrial utilization.