Frederike Möller
PhD
Turbulence characterization for the new generation of large wind turbines.
Host Organisation
UiB
Project Description
Offshore wind turbines have been continuously increasing in size and capacity over the last decades. This trend continues with the next generation of offshore wind turbines (NEXTgenT) under design, which will exceed 25 MW in capacity, 300 m in rotor diameter and thus reach heights above 350 m in the atmosphere. At these altitudes, turbines can harvest more persistent and stronger winds, bringing us a step closer to the EU’s 2050 net-zero emission goal, where wind energy is expected to play a key role. Yet, as turbines grow taller, they reach in parts of the atmosphere that are poorly covered by observations and where our established theoretical frameworks for the characterization of the relationship between wind profile, atmospheric stability and turbulence characteristics (e.g. Monin-Obukhov Similarity Theory - MOST) are no longer valid.
My project aims to close this gap by combining drone-based turbulence measurements with lidar observations and modeling approaches. Using the SAMURAI system (a 3D sonic anemometer carried by a octocopter drone) co-located with a Doppler lidar in vertical stare mode, I can link vertical and horizontal turbulence characteristics at all heights relevant for NEXTgenT. Combining and complementing these observations with large-eddy simulations (LES) and neural network data analysis approaches, will allow to link the relevant parameters across stability regimes and improve our understanding of high-altitude wind and turbulence conditions. This will reduce turbine design uncertainties and performance and ultimately supporting the green energy transition.
Supervisors
Main supervisor: Prof. Joachim Reuder
Co. supervisor: Prof. Etienne Cheynet
Co. supervisor: Prof. Stephan Kral
Background
I am from Bielefeld, Germany, a city that some Germans like to claim doesn’t exist. However I’m fairly confident that it does.
After school, I wasn’t quite sure what path to take, so I started studying physics in Bielefeld. It turned out that I loved it, and I completed both my bachelor’s and master’s there.
Spending two semesters in Bergen for my Erasmus, I first got interested in meteorology, which set the stage for my PhD. And now I am back.
When I’m not working, you’ll probably find me outside - running, hiking, cycling - and living the life in Bergen’s outdoor paradise (rain included).
Another side quest: finding the best coffee in town.
Motivation
I think my love of discovering how things work started with "Was ist was" ("how and why") books I loved as a child. Somehow that curiosity led me here: working with drones in the field, coding at the computer, and connecting the two through data. Doing a PhD wasn’t a grand plan, but I’m glad I stumbled into it - for now, I can say it’s fun, challenging, and meaningful. It feels like getting paid to satisfy curiosity while also contributing (in a small way) to tackling the climate crisis. I hope my work nudges us toward cleaner energy systems—because while the Earth will survive, our species might not. For me, this PhD is just the beginning of exploring solutions.