The Future of Wind Energy Assessment

Successful wind energy assessment efforts require adequately established long-term (> 20 years) wind behavior at potential wind project sites. Measurements, from such traditional instruments as anemometers or from more advanced measurement platforms such as sodars or lidars will not help overcome the issue related to the time requirement for long-term wind energy analysis. Additionally, measurement platforms, both traditional and advanced, will only provide data at limited locations and heights. This spatial coverage limitation may prove to be a significant issue for wind farm sites within complex terrain locations.

When clearly known wind farm energy performance variability is of utmost importance for wind project developers and financiers alike, limited wind measurements in space and time are proven to be inadequate, expensive, and time consuming.

Fortunately, there is a cost-effective and timely alternative.  An example of such an alternative is based on an Atmospheric Simulation Technology, developed by Dr. James Stalker. This simulation technology offers location specific, height specific, and time specific wind information, not only at a much lower cost but also within a fraction of the time. For example, the 100-m height wind information can be obtained for only a few 10’s of thousands of dollars compared to much more expensive measurement efforts.  Also, yearlong assessments can be completed within weeks.

As important as the above two advantages are for simulation based wind energy assessments, the greatest benefit is in their ability to provide comprehensive spatial information within weeks. In other words, project developers do not have to rely on measurements made at a single location or use just one year measured data to determine long-term wind energy variability. In other words, wind project developers and financiers need to ask themselves this question: “Would we not measure wind for twenty years at every possible location within a prospective site if we had all the money and time in the world?” The answer would be a resounding ‘yes.’ And yet, these folks are currently relying…for the full article titled “The Future of Wind Energy Assessmnet“, click the hyperlink.

Dr. James Stalker writes on science and technology topics and topics related to his high-tech businesses.  For wind energy assessment, please visit www.wind-energy-assessment.com.  For renewable energy consulting services, visit www.renewable-energy-consulting-services.com.