El valor añadido de la energía eólica marina en la península ibérica: variabilidad temporal y complementariedad espacial

Abstract

This communication explores the potential of offshore wind energy in the Iberian Peninsula. The temporal variability and spatial complementarity of potential sites for offshore wind farms is analysed using high-resolution reanalysis data (COSMO-REA6). It is found that northern coastal areas have high capacity factors and high seasonality, while western and southern coastal areas have lower capacity factors but limited seasonality. The pairwise correlation between potential areas is remarkable, with several negative correlation values within a synoptic-scale region, in contrast to other mid-latitude regions such as the North Sea or the US East Coast. An optimal combination of areas, including at least one area on each of the four main Iberian coasts, could reduce the hourly variability by about 40% and seasonality of the offshore contribution. Thus, offshore wind energy can offer added value to the Iberian electricity system beyond the high amount of resource, reducing the need for storage or back-up plants.