Optimisation of offshore wind farms using a genetic algorithm

A modular framework for the optimisation of an offshore wind farm using a discrete genetic algorithm is presented. This approach uses a bespoke grid generation algorithm to define the discrete positions that turbines may occupy thereby implicitly satisfying navigational and search and rescue constraints through the wind farm. The presented methodology takes a holistic approach optimising both the turbine placement and inter-array cable network, while minimising the levelised cost of energy and satisfying real world constraints. This tool therefore integrates models for the assessment of the energy production including wake losses; the optimisation of the inter-array cables; and the estimation of costs of the project over the lifetime. This framework will allow alternate approaches to wake and cost modelling as well as optimisation to be benchmarked in the future.