Wind Farm Performance Assessment And Optimisation

Optimising wind farm production, and hence its revenues, is a key element in wind farm operation management. Understanding downfalls and issues impacting a wind farm is therefore paramount to then apply corrections and optimise the wind turbines’ operation and power production.

How Greensolver can help?    

Greensolver analyzes SCADA data and conducts on-site inspections to identify and confirm issues with wind turbines. To optimize the performance of wind farms, Greensolver can suggest corrective measures.

SCADA data analysis can also flag underperformance by comparing the actual measured power curve with the warranted power curve. This is particularly important during the power curve guarantee period, as this can support the decision for the need for a costly power curve verification test. Greensolver discovered turbine underperformance at a French wind farm through SCADA data analysis. Our client contacted the manufacturer for corrective action based on our recommendations.

Another important aspect of a wind farm performance assessment is to recalculate the expected long-term energy yield of the wind farm, based on the operational data, via a post-construction energy yield assessment (PCYA). Pre-construction energy yield assessments (EYA) can sometimes overestimate the wind farm’s energy yield. Compared to EYA, PCYA reduces annual energy production uncertainty by 50%. This is particularly important in the case of refinancing the project or for a project acquisition. We have seen in some cases significant P50 overpredictions for some wind farms (up to +18%!).

A SCADA data assessment can help in calibrating the wind flow modeling to match actual production data. As in older projects, this wind flow model can be used for repowering or expanding wind farms, reducing uncertainty in AEP, and preventing over-predictions of wind resources.

Greensolver can carry out a full wind farm performance assessment (desktop and on-site inspection) to support its clients in optimizing their asset-generated revenues, capitalizing on the synergy of its Advisory and Asset Management teams.

To know more about our advisory services, Email us at contact@greensolver.net

Written by Edward Burin Des Roziers, Advisory Consultant