Wind resource assessment is the process, methodology included, used to estimate the future energy production of a wind farm. The accuracy of this estimation is crucial to the successful development and performance of a wind farm.
The wind resource assessment of a project includes several phases such as wind measurement, wind farm design or micrositing, as well as the estimation of the energy yield and expected losses. The uncertainty of the given results should also be considered and calculated.
Onshore vs Offshore wind resource assessment.
When we talk about wind resource assessment, we can refer to the analysis of the wind resource of onshore (inland) wind farms or offshore (in the sea) wind projects. Each type of project has particularities that need to be considered separately.
At Nayxa we have a team of consultants with experience in both onshore and offshore wind projects. Wherever your wind farm is located at, you can rely on Nayxa for your advice and technical support.
Onshore wind resource assessment
The accuracy of the wind resource assessment for an onshore project, especially in complex terrain, is determined by the quality of the measurement campaign carried out and the skill of the wind resource analyst in modeling the wind flow at the locations of the wind turbines.
There are other important concepts such as the quality of the wind farm design or a detailed balance of losses, which decisively contribute to reduce the uncertainty in the production estimates.
Offshore wind resource assessment
The analysis of the wind resource for offshore projects is marked by the technical and economic difficulty to obtain quality wind measurements. Although the market will be proposing increasingly cheaper solutions, today many of the estimates made are based on simulated mesoscale data.
The offshore wind resource is characterized by having a higher wind speed than the onshore wind resource, as well as less ambient turbulence. The combination of these two characteristics makes offshore wind development very interesting from a technical point of view.
Such turbulence reduction has a positive effect in the reduction of the expected level of loads on the wind turbines, but also a negative impact on the recovery of the wind speed downstream of the wind turbines, which in turn causes greater wake losses than in onshore projects.
Our services in the wind resource assessment field
Design of wind farms considering wakes, loads and restrictions
The design of a wind farm is a key process whose objective is to maximize the profitability of our project by choosing the ideal locations for the wind turbines. A good location of the wind turbines will allow them to extend their useful life, since the loads and efforts they face, will be minimized.
The design of a wind project undergoes continuous modifications throughout its development, mainly due to restrictions of all kinds that arise. It is important that these constraints do not affect the quality of the final design of the wind farm.
Selection of the most suitable wind turbine model for each project.
Thanks to the efforts of wind turbine manufacturers, there is a wide variety of commercially available models on the market. What may seem like an advantage, sometimes translates into a difficulty in selecting the most suitable wind turbine for our project.
Nayxa’s team of professionals can help you select the wind turbine that best suits the site conditions of your project. Our trajectory of more than 15 years has allowed us to generate the necessary knowledge to assist you in this field.
Calculation of the energy yield of a wind farm and the wake effect
The estimation of the energy produced by a wind farm is a complex process, whose accuracy depends on numerous factors such as the complexity of the terrain, the number of installed measurement masts / lidars or the quality of the project design.
Together with the analysis of the energy produced, it is necessary to calculate the losses due to wakes that affect our project and that include both the effects of our wind turbines and those of the wind farms located or planned in the surroundings.
Our team of Engineers can help you improve the accuracy of energy calculation from the initial phases of the project, carrying out an optimal wind measurement campaign. A quality wind farm design will ensure that wake losses are kept under control.
Balance of losses and analysis of uncertainties
In addition to wake losses, wind farms suffer from a variety of losses such as unavailability of the different equipment used, electrical losses, wind turbine operation losses, environmental losses, or losses due to different types of restrictions.
At Nayxa, we have developed our own software to calculate certain types of losses based on ten-minute series, and thus improve the accuracy of certain results, such as production losses caused by power limitation, shutdown strategies or environmental factors.
The calculation of the energy produced by a wind farm is associated with an uncertainty component that is essential to delimit correctly. As a general rule, the greater the uncertainty, the more difficult it will be to find financing for our project. At Nayxa we can help you minimize the uncertainty of your wind project, using our experience of more than 15 years in wind resource assessment.
Specialists in wind resource assessment
Experience and Know-How
Nayxa Energy Services accumulates more than 15 years of experience in wind resource assessment. We incorporate the know-how we acquire from each project into our work procedures in order to improve continuously our methodology and quality.
In-House software
Nayxa has been developing in-house software since its foundation. Our set of Matlab tools incorporates more than 15 years of experience and continuous research and development in the wind resource assessment field. This toolbox and the capability to build new code, allow us to quickly adapt to the needs of our clients.
Reliability
Our team of engineers have been analyzing the wind resource assessment of multiple projects since 2009. We have faced multiple challenges under all sort of climates at different geographical regions which have strengthened our know-how and therefore improve the reliability of our results and advising.
Would you like to request an appointment with our onshore and offshore wind consultants?
Nayxa has a team of onshore and offshore wind consultants who can assist you with the wind resource assessment of your project. Nayxa’s team of professionals can help you with the selection of the best configuration and wind turbine model for your project.
We take into account the singularities of each wind farm, so if you need personalized advice from a member of our team of offshore or onshore wind energy consultants, do not hesitate to leave us your information in this contact form or by calling +34 91 241 15 97.
FAQ About Onshore and Offshore Wind Resource Assessment
The wind resource assessment of a project includes several phases such as wind measurement, wind farm design or micrositing, as well as the estimation of the energy yield and expected losses. The uncertainty of the given results should also be considered and calculated.
When we talk about wind resource assessment, we can refer to the analysis of the wind resource of onshore (inland) wind farms or offshore (in the sea) wind projects. Each type of project has particularities that need to be considered separately. Phenomena such as wind speed or turbulence are different onshore or offshore.
The accuracy of the wind resource assessment is critical for the correct operation of a wind farm. The economical model of the project is based on the estimated energy yield and therefore severe discrepancies with operational results could result in the bankruptcy of the project.
If you are interested in requesting a request to carry out a wind resource assessment in your wind energy project, do not hesitate to contact our team.
You can contact us at +34 91 241 15 97, send an email to info@nayxa.com or you can leave your data in the contact form here
Other Nayxa Services:
Specialists in technical advice on wind energy
Extensive experience in wind measurement
We can advise you on the design of a wind farm
We carry out the evaluation of wind turbine site assessment
