About us
Connecting weather intelligence with wind energy decisions
NEXT-WIND is a collaborative research project that aims to strengthen the operational and financial resilience of onshore and offshore wind energy. It combines machine learning, meteorology, energy system modelling and electricity market expertise to improve decisions from short-term operations to long-term investment.
Why NEXT-WIND?
Wind power production depends on weather conditions that can change rapidly. Forecast errors can create differences between the electricity expected and the electricity actually delivered, increasing balancing costs and complicating operational planning.
At the same time, periods of high renewable generation can coincide with low or negative electricity prices. Producing more electricity therefore does not always lead to higher revenues. These interactions create uncertainty for wind farm operators, electricity buyers and investors.
NEXT-WIND studies weather, electricity production and market conditions together. This integrated approach will help the sector anticipate risks and assess how operational strategies, contractual arrangements and infrastructure choices can respond.
Our objectives
NEXT-WIND pursues four closely connected objectives:
- Improve high-resolution weather forecasts for wind energy applications, including wind conditions at turbine height and the likelihood of rapid changes.
- Develop deterministic and probabilistic forecasts of wind power production and electricity prices.
- Improve the design of power purchase agreements by combining forecasting advances with analysis of market rules and regulatory frameworks.
- Support infrastructure planning through methods that evaluate turbine choices, balancing strategies, storage and hybrid renewable energy systems.
From research to practice
The project combines model development with validation using observations and operational wind farm data. Industrial partners contribute practical requirements, sector expertise and case studies to ensure that the research addresses real operational and investment challenges.
The expected outcomes include validated research prototypes, decision-support methods and recommendations that can support further development and uptake by industry.
Expected impact
Better forecasting and risk management can help reduce imbalance costs, improve operational planning and strengthen confidence in wind energy investments.
NEXT-WIND aims to support the competitiveness of the renewable energy sector in Flanders while contributing to a more reliable, affordable and low-carbon electricity system.