Grand Challenges in Designing Resilient Wind Energy Systems in Areas Prone to Tropical Cyclones

Abstract. Deployment of wind energy systems in cyclone-prone regions faces substantial challenges due to risks posed by tropical cyclones (TCs). These storms can generate extremely high winds and waves that have the potential to cause significant structural damage to turbines, disrupt energy production, and result in major financial losses. As such, it is important to better understand and quantify the risks associated with TCs and adapt design standards and operational guidelines to meet the increased reliability requirements for systems in these high-risk areas. Addressing these challenges requires significant advancements in modeling capabilities, the collection of high-quality data, and the integration of these resources to ensure that wind systems in cyclone-prone regions achieve a level of reliability comparable to systems in less hazardous environments (e.g., the North Sea). This article aims to shed light on the grand challenges in designing resilient wind energy systems in cyclone-prone regions by presenting the current state of research and engineering practices and identifying key research gaps; and to offer recommendations for future work, highlighting the need for enhanced modeling tools, data integration techniques, and more resilient design approaches.