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This study conducts the mid-long term predictions and assesses the multi-year average offshore wind energy in the China seas for the next five years based on CMIP5 wind data, in hope of providing reference for the long term prediction of wind energy. Results show that (1) large areas with multi-year average wind power densities (WPD) greater than 350 W/m² are mainly found throughout the Ryukyu Islands and the Taiwan and Luzon Straits in the southeastern area of the Indo-China Peninsula. (2) From 2015-2019, the WPD in the Bohai Sea, Taiwan Strait and Beibu Gulf will be lower than the multi-year average level and thus will be similar to the multi-year average in the Yellow Sea and Gulf of Thailand but greater than the multi-year average in the East China Sea and South China Sea. (3) The predicted occurrences of exploitable wind speeds of the East China Sea and South China Sea are promising for the next five years, exceeding 60%. A value above 40% is predicted for the Yellow Sea, and a lower value is anticipated for the Bohai Sea. (4) The predicted occurrences of WPD > 50 W/m² are more promising for the next five years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a key factor in the ocean energy development, particularly for preventing and reducing disaster, the analysis of gust characteristic is necessary. This study presents the characteristics of annual and seasonal wind speed, gust wind speed in the western Pacific region, using the CCMP wind data and ERA-interim gust data. Results show that, (1) There is a good consistency in annual variation between the averaged wind speed and averaged gust, while a great difference with the maximum gust. (2) The averaged wind speed for 35 years in the nearshore is smaller than that in the off-shore. There is a large value belt in Ryukyu Islands -- Taiwan Island -- the traditional South China Sea gale center, with two obvious large centers (about 7.5-8.0 m/s) located in the Taiwan Strait, the traditional South China Sea gale center. The large area of maximum annual mean gust (> 50 m/s) is mainly locates in the broad ocean of the east of Taiwan, (3) There is an obvious seasonal difference of the average wind speed, average gust and maximum gust. The average gust has noticeable monthly variation, the peak usually appears in November and the trough mainly appearing in summer. There is also a noticeable monthly variation for the maximum gust. In the middle and south of the South China Sea, the maximum gust is <16 m/s in each month. In the most part of the western Pacific region, the peak value of maximum gust appearing is in October and August, it is about 14-24 m/s in other months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]