NEXT-WIND

The production of wind energy strongly depends on weather conditions. As a result, it is becoming increasingly important for wind farm developers, operators and energy companies to accurately estimate how much energy a wind farm will produce, when this production will occur, and how it will impact the energy market.

Today, these forecasts are not always sufficiently accurate. This creates uncertainty in the operation of wind farms, as well as in investment decisions and the negotiation of long-term electricity supply contracts. This uncertainty is further increased by volatile energy prices, the growth of renewable energy, and the need for a stable and affordable electricity system.

The NEXT-WIND project aims to reduce this uncertainty. By linking improved weather forecasts to energy production and market price predictions, wind farms can be planned, operated and financed more efficiently.

Within the NEXT-WIND project, partners develop new models and tools that are tested and validated through concrete use cases. This includes:

• high-resolution weather forecasts for wind energy;
• improved predictions of energy production and market prices;
• the use of artificial intelligence to make these predictions faster and more accurate.

In addition, the project focuses on practical applications:

• support for energy contracts (Power Purchase Agreements or PPAs) to better manage risks;
• development of planning tools for wind farms, including storage and hybrid systems;
• the use of probabilistic forecasts to better assess uncertainty and variability.