The development of new locations for inland and offshore wind energy utilization requires a detailed characterization of environmental conditions. Knowledge of this is indispensable for wind energy turbine design and the success of wind farm projects, focusing on land, on the planning of wind farms with large hub heights in hilly or wooded areas. Questions arising in this field of potential assessment, resource definition and load assumptions are processed, among others, using a 200 m high measuring mast and several LiDAR-Systems (laser supported wind speed measuring).
Fraunhofer IWES has developed innovative and adapted measuring and analysis methods, for offshore wind energy utilization, for the on-site conditions of wind, waves, current and the sea floor, as well as methods for recording the ecological effects of offshore wind farms. New systems for measuring wind up to great heights are based on LiDAR systems operated from ships or buoys. A modern measuring method for geophysical construction-ground exploration has also been developed which specifically meets offshore wind industry requirements.