Europe’s offshore wind sector is facing growing complexity as tender designs evolve, new technologies emerge and projects move into more challenging locations. At the same time, environmental impacts and social acceptance are becoming increasingly important. A comprehensive and standardised evaluation system that brings these factors together is currently lacking. The WindSCORE research project, launched in December 2025, aims to address this gap by developing a scientifically based 360-degree evaluation toolbox for offshore wind projects over the next three years. The system is intended to support investors, authorities and other stakeholders by combining economic, technical, sustainability-related and social criteria into a single assessment framework.
The project is led by Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems (IWES) and involves partners including Fondation Open-C, SINTEF, Statnett, TÜV SÜD, Bio-Littoral and Equinor. WindSCORE is co-funded by PTJ and the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action in Germany, RPL France and the Research Council of Norway under the Clean Energy Transition Partnership.
Across Europe, offshore wind tenders are increasingly moving beyond lowest-price criteria to include sustainability, innovation and system benefits. At the same time, new offshore regions, including Atlantic sites, require more robust site assessment. WindSCORE is designed to provide a structured approach to evaluating these factors, including technical concepts such as floating wind turbines, grid and energy system integration, operations and maintenance efficiency, and environmental and social impacts.
Social aspects, including regional value creation and local content, are included alongside ecological indicators assessing the effects of offshore wind farms on marine environments. The evaluation methods developed within the project are intended to form the basis for a draft industry standard, supporting more transparent and comparable project assessments.
Fraunhofer IWES is responsible for core technical work, including site analysis, modelling electricity generation costs and assessing technical concepts using cost models and life cycle simulations. Other partners contribute expertise in power systems, offshore wind operations, socio-economic analysis and marine ecology.
Once completed, the WindSCORE toolbox will be validated and further refined with the aim of enabling practical application across Europe. The project is intended to support more consistent decision-making in offshore wind development and contribute to the long-term sustainability and acceptance of the sector.
