Impact of different wake effect modeling in offshore wind farms licensing in Brazil

Abstract

Annually, the production of electrical energy undergoes transformations due to concerns about climate change and the need to diversify the energy matrix. The participation of wind energy has grown both onshore and offshore, and in Brazil are 96 projects offshore in the environmental licensing phase by IBAMA (2024). This study analyzes the optimization of the layout of two offshore wind farms in northeastern Brazil, the Pedra Grande and Camocim Wind Farms, using the Bat Algorithm. The arrangement of wind turbines is crucial to maximizing energy generation, requiring a detailed analysis of aerodynamic effects. The study compares three wake effect modeling approaches, revealing significant differences in results. The importance of exploring different modeling approaches to improve predictions and proposals in the planning of offshore wind farms is highlighted.