Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind has installed a new lidar wind data collection system in New Jersey to aid research into sea breezes and coastal storms. 

Working with The Rutgers University Center for Ocean Observing Leadership (RUCOOL), the instrument will provide observations of wind profiles up to several hundred feet directly on the land/sea boundary.

Located near the Rutgers University Marine Field Station in Tuckerton, the lidar is expected to collect real-time weather observations over the next several years. These will contribute towards ongoing research, monitoring modeling and data synthesis efforts of both Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind and Rutgers.

The information gathered will form part of Rutgers’ research on sea breezes and coastal storms.

Atlantic Shores development director Jennifer Daniels said: “Measuring high-quality wind data is critical to accurately calculating how much energy our wind projects will produce, and we are happy to open our lease area for data collection that benefits not only us, but New Jersey and larger environmental research efforts.

“Together with Rutgers, we are helping to ensure New Jersey is a leader in a thriving, new green economy.” 

“Offshore wind is a key piece of New Jersey’s green future, taking advantage of one of our greatest, untapped sources of renewable energy,” added director of atmospheric research at RUCOOL Joseph Brodie.

“Public-private partnerships like the one we’ve built with Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind - sharing data, knowledge and resources - enable all of our efforts to go farther.

“Through this collaboration, we are bringing New Jersey one step closer to a future powered by renewable energies while training the next generation of researchers and industry leaders and preserving our unique ocean resource.”

Atlantic Shores is a joint venture between Shell and EDF Renewables. It holds a lease to develop 2.5GW off the coast of New Jersey.