Offshore wind power investigation
In this task you will investigate where the best place to locate an offshore wind farm is. This task will
involve accessing layers already available in AGOL with those downloaded from other sources as well
as using information from industry.
With an increasing demand for power energy security is an ever increasing issue. Power that comes
from renewable energy is important as it can ensure domestic supplies as well as decreasing the
carbon emissions linked to some other energy resources. The UK government have committed to
increasing its energy from renewables. This task looks into the problem of locating offshore wind
farms.
What factors do you need to task in to account?
List them here:
1. Open ArcGis Online. www.arcgis.com and sign into your account.
2. Search for the following map “ wind farm investigation” or go to this web link:
http://bit.ly/1h7NG7R
Do not click any of the layers on just yet.
3. You can download key layers for this task by using the add tab within the map and searching
for layers to do with wind power in ArcGis Online.
Bob Lang: Windpower around UK investigation
4. Using the following layers: offshore wind speed above 80m. A legend can be viewed by
clicking the legend tab on the left.
5. Decide which location is the best based on wind speed?
6. Now add other factors such as distance to coast. Does this make a difference? If so, why?
7. How close is it to the coast? Use the measuring tool to find this out. This can be found on the
top tool bar.
Bob Lang: Windpower around UK investigation
8. From the map below use the measuring tool to work out the distance of the outer limit of
the renewable energy zone from the UK coastline. This is needed as your wind farm needs to
be within this area.
http://aws2.caris.com/ukho/mapViewer/map.action
9.
Once calculated, create a buffer around the UK coast that will show this area within which
your choice of wind farm location needs to be located. A buffer can be created by using the
analysis tool then proximity tool’s buffer tool. You will need to click the coastline layer and
then carry out the buffer analysis.
Bob Lang: Windpower around UK investigation
10. The UK has some important ports and shipping routes. Where are these shipping routes?
Why are these important?
11. You can create a layer by looking at the UKHO site that shows shipping routes:
http://aws2.caris.com/ukho/mapViewer/map.action
Create this layer by drawing a layer using the add mapnotes tab.
Bob Lang: Windpower around UK investigation
12. The depth of water is important to the building of offshore wind farms. Ideally they need to
be located in shallow water otherwise it can be costly to attach to them to the seafloor. Use
this website to view bathymetry: http://aws2.caris.com/ukho/mapViewer/map.action
13. Are there any areas of protection/conservation?
Use the following web sites to view areas of marine protection
http://www.gis.naturalengland.org.uk/pubs/gis/GIS_register.asp
http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/mczmap
This interactive map contains information on Marine Protected Areas in the UK. At the
moment there are 108 Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) with marine components, 108
Special Protection Areas (SPAs) with marine components, 28 Marine Conservation Zones
Bob Lang: Windpower around UK investigation
(MCZs) and one Marine Nature Reserve*. Together these protect nearly 9.5% of our
waters.
14. Now you should have some desired areas for your offshore wind farm. Mark these
areas on your map by creating a layer by with map notes.
15. Now compare your chosen area with actual wind farms? How similar are they? This
can be done by clicking the following layers:
 Offshore wind uk
 Under construction
 Consented
 Planned
 Operational windfarms
16. Now that you have compared are there any un-utilised areas?
17. Choose one area that has no activity in it and use the following website to make a
wind farm that follows the following criteria:
Based upon evidence turbines should be spaced a minimum distance apart of 6-10 rotor
diameter and ideally in line with the dominant prevalent wind direction.
It mustn’t be within 2kms of any other wind farm development. Create a buffer around

Offshore wind uk
Bob Lang: Windpower around UK investigation




Under construction
Consented
Planned
Operational windfarms
18. One constraint that is still an issue with offshore wind farms is visual impact.
Recently a major wind farm proposal the Atlantic array was cancelled following
protests. To investigate this you will need to look at what the coast line nearest to
your proposed wind farm has and whether there are any already consented, under
construction or operational wind farms nearby. If there are any of the mentioned
nearby then visual impact shouldn’t be a problem unless the turbines you plan to
use are significantly different.
19. Use www.weatherspark.com to find the dominant wind direction for your chosen
site.
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/marine-shippingforecast/#?tab=map
Bob Lang: Windpower around UK investigation
20. This web link will help you select the wind turbine for your farm. You should be
aiming to make as much energy as possible within the given area available
http://www.4coffshore.com/windfarms/turbines.aspx
You can sort turbine by power output, rotor diameter, brand
21. Present your findings in a report giving reasons for your choice of location for the offshore
wind farm.
The following website will provide you with other key data sets you might need. You will need to
create some of these layers or take screenshots to use within your decisions.
Some data sets can be accessed via the UK’s Government open data site and the Crown Estate’s
website.
https://www.gov.uk/oil-and-gas-offshore-maps-and-gis-shapefiles
http://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/energy-infrastructure/downloads/maps-and-gis-data/#
http://www.4coffshore.com/offshorewind/
Bob Lang: Windpower around UK investigation