Its conclusions should aid the rollout of the UK's Round 3 offshore wind farms. The £2 million wakes effects measurement project is part of the Carbon Trust's Offshore Wind Accelerator initiative.
Six lidars have been installed at E.on's Rødsand 2 wind farm in Denmark. They will measure wakes passing through the 207MW development for at least six months.
The first set of data has already been gathered and will be shared with developers. It seeks to improve the understanding of how wind behaves offshore.
Phil de Villiers, the Carbon Trust's head of offshore, said: "The new wakes effects measurement campaign is very exciting as it will address the shortage of data that has constrained the development of wake effects models for offshore wind.
"It offers potential to increase energy yields from offshore wind farms and also offers financiers greater certainty on the economics of the projects. We are confident that the data we collect will have a dramatic impact on the future of offshore wind energy, for the better."
The research should also help to lever debt financing for the UK's Round 3 projects. By offering greater certainty on energy yields, risks will be reduced and projects will become more attractive as debt financing is sought.
