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data analysis wind
Data Analysis
Most investors will require a resource assessment done by a trained professional. Resource assessments—including purchasing, installing, and decommissioning the equipment, and collecting and analyzing data—can cost as much as $30,000. This cost can be reduced if the project developer can do some of the labor and if used or rented equipment is employed.
Information in the resource assessment will include:
- Annual average wind speed
- Monthly average wind speeds
- Annual diurnal wind speeds
- Monthly diurnal wind speeds
- Weibull distribution
- Wind rose
If it is known in advance which type of turbine will be used, the resource assessment can also include expected production and turbine siting. Once this assessment is completed, an accurate picture of the wind resource at the site and the potential for wind development should be clear.
Estimating Production
The goal of any wind project is to produce energy, so an accurate estimate of production is essential when planning a project. This estimate always involves uncertainty, but how much uncertainty there is depends on the amount of data available both for the wind resource and turbine performance. Production is estimated using the wind speed frequency distribution generated during the resource assessment, along with the manufacturer’s power curve. Multiplying the power output of the turbine at each wind speed by the frequency that the wind blows at that wind speed results in an estimate of production at that wind speed. Repeating this procedure for each wind speed bin and adding the results produces an estimate for the turbine’s overall production. In general, the consultant providing the resource estimate will also provide a production estimate for a number of different turbines. This analysis will include an explanation of the amount of uncertainty in the calculations.
