A systematic framework for multidimensional assessment of wake-induced performance heterogeneity in offshore wind farms

Journal article, 2026

Assessment of the wake effect in offshore wind farms has long focused on power production and fatigue load ing. However, wake interactions can propagate and accumulate throughout long-term operations, leading to broader inter-turbine heterogeneity, including structural degradation, maintenance requirements, and lifecycle costs. This cross-layer effect and its wider implications remain unexplored in existing studies. To address this gap, this study develops a systematic framework for the multidimensional assessment of wake-induced performance heterogeneity at the wind farm level. The conceptual contribution of the framework is to link wake aerodynamics, structural integrity analysis, and maintenance management within a unified analytical chain. Specifically, turbine-specific operating conditions and loading histories under wake effects are first characterized, then translated into crack-growth trajectories and reliability evolution, and finally incorporated into lifecycle O&M optimization. A representative case study of an offshore wind farm in Akita, Japan, is conducted to demonstrate the applicability of the framework. For the investigated case, the results show that wake-induced heterogeneity reduces overall energy production efficiency by 20.9%, increases fatigue loading by 47.7%, induces structural lifetime variations from-36.2% to + 8.6% across turbines, lowers wind turbine reliability by 1.8%, and increases lifecycle mainte nance costs by 84.5%. By advancing wake analysis from local aerodynamic assessment to a broader perspective on wind farm performance and asset management, the study supports more informed project evaluation and long-term planning for offshore wind farms.