What is wind resource analysis?
Wind resource analysis and energy assessments are crucial to determine the yield capabilities for a wind energy project. The available potential is based on meteorological parameters, while the yield is determined from technical parameters such as the WTG type and wind farm design.
Why is wind resource analysis important?
Wind turbine type, rotor diameter, hub height, local wind speeds as well as wind direction and wind shear will all impact the success of a project. It is essential to determine where the wind resources exist, understand their characteristics and validate their quality. A lack of risk assessment for these crucial parameters may hinder smooth operation and result in low energy production.
TÜV SÜD helps you optimise your wind farm energy production.
Having undertaken hundreds of successful wind measurements throughout the world, our global team of experts provides a detailed understanding of the variations in wind energy to facilitate decision-making, whether at site identification, through a formal financial close or late in the lifetime of an operational project. Our experts carry out site assessment, assess wind turbine suitability and help to optimise wind farm layout to ensure optimum utilisation of wind resources.
What does wind resource analysis involve?
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Standardised wind measurements
TÜV SÜD provides professional preparation, installation, maintenance, supervision and dismantling of your wind measurement system. Our experts support you with qualified monitoring of wind measurement using systems that include met masts up to 140m, LIDAR remote sensing devices and regular data retrieval via GSM. We prepare monthly interim reports and a bankable wind measurement report, presented clearly in tabular and graphic form. Our solution also enables rapid and smooth data sharing with third parties.
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Wind resource assessments
Our experts perform on-site inspection and record input data with high-precision instruments including laser measurement and GPS. We assess site conditions using topographical maps, satellite data, comparative calculations with existing wind farms in the vicinity, long-term meteorological measurements, data collected at ground stations worldwide and geostrophic wind data to ensure reliability and minimise uncertainty. Our experience covers modelling with WAsP, CFD calculations with WindSim and OpenFoam as well as high-resolution wind mapping. We are up to date on current standards (BWE, IEC, IEA, Measnet, FGW, etc.) and directives. Our clients receive results in tabular and graphic form, including graphic illustrations of transgression probabilities. We also provide site wind climate analysis, advanced wind park layout design, full assessment of site wind regime for manufacturer’s structural integrity analysis, and optimised wind farm layout with respect to energy yield, site suitability, noise, shadow and infrastructure parameters.
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Energy calculation
TÜV SÜD offers detailed energy yield analysis and energy loss estimation services. We can determine detailed wind farm production losses such as wind farm wakes, electrical losses, availability factors, icing losses or site conditions.
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Site suitability analysis
We calculate turbulence intensity for any given layout, determine the wind zone as per DIBt and IEC (IEC 61400-1 ed. 2 and 3), identify the site-specific mean wind speed and Weibull Distribution and calculate extreme wind speeds (1-year and 50-year mean of both extreme wind speeds and wind gusts). Our analysis of the results takes into account site-specific turbulence and extreme wind measurements, the worldwide data pool collated at ground stations and the theoretical estimate of turbulence and extreme wind based on meteorological data in the vicinity. We determine wind shear, inflow angle and air density for a full compliance assessment. TÜV SÜD also offers an independent statement of compliance in cooperation with WTG manufacturers to ensure site suitability.
