ATLANTIC_CH01_Product_3 / Map of windfarm siting suitability in the area of Southern border of Portugal and Spain at 20 m depth

The three digital maps provided in this product aim to assess the degree of Offshore windfarm siting suitability existing over a geographical area with a focal point in the Southern border of Portugal and Spain at 20 m depth. The maps display respectively the spatial distribution of the average and lowest windfarm siting suitability scores along with the average wind speed distribution over a time period of 10 years. They are part of a process set up to assess the fit for use quality of the currently available datasets to support a preliminary selection of potential offshore sites for wind energy development.To build these maps, GIS tools were applied to several key spatial datasets from the 5 data type domains considered in the project: Air, Marine Water, Riverbed/Seabed, Biota/Biology and Human Activities, collated during the initial stages of the project. Initially, each selected dataset was formatted and clipped to the study area extent and spatially classified according to suitability scores, to define raster layers with the variables depicting levels of current anthropogenic and environmental spatial occupation of activities, seabed depth and slope, distances to shoreline, shipping intensity, mean significant wave height, and substrate type. These pre-processed layers were employed as inputs for applying a spatial multi-criteria model using a wind farming suitability classification based on a discrete 5 grades index, ranging from Very Low up to Very High suitability. In adition to suitability maps, an average wind speed spatial distribution map for a 10 years period, at 10 m height, was obtained over the study area from the raster processing of a wind speed time series of monthly means available from daily wind analysis data. The characteristics of the datasets used in this exercise underwent an appropriateness evaluation procedure based on a comparison between their measured quality and those specified for the product. The study area is located in the western part of the Cadiz Golf includes a coastal zone of Portugal and Spain. The continental shelf has a high value for tourism, fishing and environmental protection activities. In addition, this area presented the lowest mean wind speed. Important data gaps exist on human activities and environmental protection such as the spatial extent of the fishing and aquaculture offshore activities or the spatial distribution of essential habitats and species.All the spatial information made available in these maps and from the subsequent appropriateness analysis of the datasets, contributes to a clearer overview of the amount of public-access baseline knowledge currently existing for the North Atlantic basin area.

本产品附带的三张数字地图，旨在评估以葡萄牙与西班牙南部边界为焦点、水深20米海域的地理区域内，海上风电场（Offshore Wind Farm）场址适宜性程度。三张地图分别展示了10年周期内的海上风电场场址适宜性平均得分、最低得分的空间分布，以及平均风速空间分布。本系列地图隶属于一项评估流程，旨在校验当前可用数据集的适用性质量，以支撑风能开发潜在海上场址的初步遴选工作。为制作上述地图，本项目依托初期阶段整理的5大类核心空间数据集开展工作，涵盖大气、海水、河床/海床、生物/生态及人类活动五大数据域，并运用地理信息系统（GIS）工具进行处理。首先，对筛选出的各数据集进行格式标准化处理，并裁剪至研究区域范围；随后依据适宜性得分开展空间分类，最终生成包含多变量的栅格图层（Raster Layer），这些变量涵盖当前人类活动与生态环境的空间占用水平、海床深度与坡度、距海岸线距离、航运强度、平均有效波高以及底质类型。将上述预处理后的栅格图层作为输入，构建空间多准则模型，采用基于离散五级指数的海上风电场适宜性分类体系，分级标准从极低适宜性至极高适宜性。除适宜性地图外，本研究还基于每日风场分析数据得到的月均风速时间序列，通过栅格处理得到研究区域内10米高度、10年周期的平均风速空间分布地图。本次研究中使用的数据集特性，将通过实测质量与本产品规定质量的对比流程，开展适用性评估。本研究区域位于加的斯湾西部，涵盖葡萄牙与西班牙的沿岸海域。该区域大陆架拥有极高的旅游、渔业及环境保护活动价值。此外，该区域的平均风速为所有研究区域中最低。当前在人类活动与环境保护领域存在重要数据缺口，例如海上渔业与水产养殖活动的空间范围，以及关键栖息地与物种的空间分布数据均有所缺失。上述地图中公开的所有空间信息，以及后续开展的数据集适用性分析结果，均有助于更清晰地了解北大西洋海域当前已有的可公开获取的基础认知储备。