The EU project WindSCORE, which launched in December 2025, is developing a scientifically based 360° evaluation toolbox within the next three years, that incorporates economic, technical, sustainability-oriented, and social criteria, thereby supporting investors and stakeholders. The Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems has joined forces with its partners Fondation Open-C, SINTEF, Statnett, TÜV SÜD, Bio-Littoral, and Equinor.
When constructing offshore wind farms, criteria such as sustainability, innovation, and system benefits will be taken into account in the future with the help of the WindSCORE assessment tool.
Offshore wind energy plays a key role in Europe’s sustainable energy supply. New locations, such as in the Atlantic, are coming into focus and need to be evaluated. At the moment, there is no comprehensive evaluation system that provides investors with a reliable risk analysis. Another key issue is to generate social acceptance, which is crucial to the success of such projects.
This is where the WindSCORE (Sustainable Criteria and Overall Renewable Evaluation for Offshore Wind Energy) research project comes in: The aim of the project is to develop a decision-making tool in the form of a 360-degree KPI toolbox to improve the structure and design of tender criteria and enable a holistic assessment of offshore wind farm projects. This is intended to promote social acceptance of offshore wind energy and also to provide targeted support to stakeholders in the industry, from tendering to implementation.
WindSCORE integrates aspects such as sustainability, technical innovations – including floating wind turbines – as well as the integration of offshore wind energy into energy systems and grids and operational and maintenance (O&M) efficiency. Social impacts, such as regional value creation, are also to be included in the assessment. For practical application, the evaluation criteria and methods developed form the basis for a draft industry standard.
The Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems IWES is leading the project and taking on key tasks such as site analysis, modeling electricity generation costs, and evaluating technical concepts. A cost model and life cycle simulations are being used to assess the technical and financial sustainability of offshore wind farms.
“The development of the offshore wind industry is a central pillar of the energy transition,” said Prof. Marcel Wiggert, responsible for project cooperation at Fraunhofer IWES. “To ensure long-term social, political, and economic acceptance and minimize risks in the value chain, the WindSCORE project is developing a transparent, comprehensible 360° KPI-based evaluation system.”
“This is something many of our industry partners have been asking for,” said SINTEF’s Gard Hopsdal Hansen, Centre Director for FME NorthWind.
Statnett and Equinor, the two other Norwegian partners, contribute to operational experience with power systems and offshore wind farms, respectively, further advancing Norway´s renewable energy transition. WindSCORE’s 360° assessment system lays the foundation for the further expansion of offshore wind energy and a climate-friendly power supply. It provides a reliable basis for assessing the risks and opportunities of future projects and locations – with a particular focus on environmental impact and sustainability. Once the project is complete, Fraunhofer IWES will validate the methods developed and the toolbox and further develop them until they are ready for market.
More info www.iwes.fraunhofer.de
