©2015 AWS Truepower, LLC
Matthew V. Filippelli Principal Engineer
Guidelines for Detailed Wind Resource Measurements on Islands
IRENA Island Energy Transitions:
Pathways for Accelerated Uptake of Renewables
Martinique
22-24 June 2015
©2015 AWS Truepower, LLC
AWS Truepower 1. Introduction 2. Wind Resource Characteristics 3. Campaign Design 4. Equipment Selection 5. Campaign Operations 6. Data Analysis 7. Summary
PRESENTATION OUTLINE
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AWS TRUEPOWER - COMPANY SNAPSHOT
ALBANY, NEW YORK, USA
DENVER, COLORADO, USA
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, USA
CALGARY, ALBERTA, CANADA
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
BARCELONA, SPAIN
BANGALORE, INDIA
ISTANBUL, TURKEY*
WARSAW, POLAND*
ALBANY NEW YORK
USA
80% AWS Truepower has worked for 80% of the world’s top wind developers
120,000 MW In our 30 years, we have assessed more than
85% of our staff is comprised of engineers, meteorologists, and environmental specialists
As of April 2015, we provide wind and solar forecasts to over 40 GW of capacity
40 GW
In 2014, our reports were used to fund $10 billion of wind projects
Since 2012, we have acted as the Investor / Lender’s Engineer on over 10 GW of wind and solar projects
10 GW
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SOLUTIONS FOR THE PROJECT LIFECYCLE
• Siting and Resource Assessment – Efficiently prioritize
development opportunities
– Design and manage quality meteorological campaigns
– Determine reliable long-term resource expectations
• Energy Assessment – Optimize project design – Assess portfolio impact – Identify technology risks – Determine bankable, long-
term energy projection
DEVELOPERS
• Portfolio Acquisition – Accurate, efficient
portfolio assessments – Existing and new assets
• Operational Assessment
– Confirm expectations and budgets
– Identify opportunities for performance improvement and ROI
• Portfolio Risk – Determine variations in
cashflow (monthly / annually)
– Determine technology and warranty risks
INVESTORS
• Performance Assessment – Diagnose plant
performance – Design and proactive
maintenance programs – Maximize staff time – Identify and capture
recoverable yield
• Forecasting & Grid Integration – Assess grid impact – Design effective grid plans
and strategies – Schedule power resources
OPERATORS
MINIMIZE UNCERTAINTY QUANTIFY RISK MAXIMIZE PERFORMANCE
AWS TRUEPOWER - WIND AND SOLAR SERVICES
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• Basis: Guidelines for Detailed Wind Resource Measurements on Islands (2014)1
• Why Focus on Islands?
– Unique Development Characteristics
– Financial Resources – Economic Development – Technical Resources – Data Communications
• Why follow guidelines?
– Higher chance of project success – Broader acceptance of results – Greater confidence in data
1. INTRODUCTION - CONTEXT
1: http://www.irena.org/DocumentDownloads/Publications/IRENA_Island_Wind_Measurement_2015.pdf
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• Why Measure the Wind? – Estimate project energy
production – Develop inputs for turbine
suitability or plant design – Support the integration of the
project into the local grid – Post-construction project
Support
• Where does wind resource assessment it fit in the process? – Measurement – Modeling – Analysis
1. INTRODUCTION - MOTIVATION
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Successful Wind Resource Assessment (WRA) program design and implementation starts with clear objectives, informed by project-specific drivers and priorities.
• Development Drivers – What defines the program design?
– Plant Size – Turbine Size – Communications, power and other
infrastructure – Human and Technical Resources – Risks to vandalism and Theft – Costs & Timing
• What does the Wind Resource
Campaign Look like?
1. INTRODUCTION - PROGRAM DEFINITION
• Objectives – what are you trying to accomplish?
– obtain sufficient high-quality data to support an accurate estimation of the energy production potential, as well as the project’s design and turbine selection
– win the confidence and support of financial institutions, government agencies or other funding partners or regulators
– support community development and capacity building, building or transferring capabilities to the
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1. INTRODUCTION - WRA PROGRAM PHASES
Wind Resource Assessment Program PhasesFunders and Investors (F), Utilities/Government/Developers (U), Program Managers (P), Field Engineers/Technicians (E), and Expert Consultants (C)
Project Planning/Objectives
(U, P, C)
Common ObjectivesObtain High Quality Data to Support Accurate Energy EstimatesWin Confidence of Financial InstitutionsSupport Community Development – Benefits to Local Communities
Assessment of Drivers of Program Requirements
Plant and turbine sizeAccessibility, communications, and grid powerHuman and technical resources
Establishing a Program TeamProgram managerField team lead and staffSite techniciansQuality assurance coordinatorData analyst
Site Screening and Identification
(U, P, E, C)
Identify Suitable Project Sites –Desktop Review
Wind resource maps and publically available dataTopographic and land cover dataWindy land area (project size)Transmission and road accessDevelopment restrictions
Field Surveys – Verify Site Conditions
Important for siting systemsVerify land coverIdentify transmission and distribution linesConfirm road accessMeet landowners and community leadersInvestigate local regulations
Measurement Campaign Design
(F, U, P, E, C)
Determine Number of Measurement Systems
Function of project domain and terrain complexity
Measurement System SitingMeasure representative conditionsAccessibilityAvoid obstructions
Measurement System SelectionTall towersRemote sensing
Land Leasing
Cost EstimationEquipmentLaborOther expenses
Equipment Selection and Installation
(F, U, P, E, C)
Instrumentation SelectionTall towers (tubular/lattice)Tower configuration (sensor heights and orientations)Key measurements (wind speed, wind direction, and temperature)Other parameters (vertical wind speed, pressure, solar radiation)
Remote Sensing Systems(sodar/lidar)
Data Transfer and Communications
Equipment Procurement and Acceptance Testing
Equipment Installation
Documentation
Operation and Data Collection
(F, U, P, E, C)
Operations and MaintenanceEnsure reliable operation and high data recoverySite visits and inspectionsDocumentation: Site activities, sensor changes, etc.
Data Collection and HandlingOn-site data storage and retrieval
Data Quality Control and Validation
Screen data for various problems (sensor failures, tower shadow, sensor icing), etc.Project log – document observations
Data Archiving and Protection
Program Reporting and Conclusion
(F, U, P, E, C)
Wind Resource ReportingKey parameters: mean wind speed, wind direction, temperature, turbulence intensity Monthly, quarterly, annual, and summary reports
Data Inventory
Monitoring System Decommissioning
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• A successful WRA campaign demands dedicated resources.
• The composition of the team can vary in size and expertise and permanence, but all roles must be filled
• Building and maintaining the team must consider human resources locally, and project drivers
• Outside experts can bring value to this team and process
– Government agencies, national labs, developers, turbine manufactures, measurement equipment vendors, consultant
Program Manager
Field Team Lead
Field Staff
Local Data
Contact
Data Analyst
Quality Control
1. INTRODUCTION - WRA TEAM
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Understanding the local and regional drivers of wind characteristics helps inform the WRA campaign and other project aspects • Global Circulations
– Tradewinds near the quator – Westerlies in the mid-latitudes
• Mesoscale Circulations – Monsoons – SeaBreeze
• Local Influences – Land cover – Terrain – Temperature Gradient
• Implications? – Seasonal characteristics – Attractive sites and land features
2. WIND RESOURCE CHARACTERISTICS - ATMOSPHERE DRIVERS
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Several key parameters are used to define a site’s wind resource characteristics. • Annual Mean Wind Speed • Wind Speed Frequency Distribution • Wind Shear • Direction Frequency Distribution • Air Temperature and Air Density • Turbulence Intensity
Several other parameters are relevant to energy yield calculations and suitability / design determination • Extreme wind speeds and return periods • Extreme temperatures • Ice, lightning, hail, dust, insects • Ocean parameters (for offshore)
2. WIND RESOURCE CHARACTERISTICS – KEY PARAMETERS
0%
2%
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0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 >25.5
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Observed FreqWeibull Freq
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20%N
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E
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Percent of Total EnergyPercent of Total Time
𝝆𝝆 = 𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑.𝟎𝟎𝟑𝟑𝑻𝑻
𝒆𝒆−𝟎𝟎.𝟎𝟎𝟑𝟑𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟎𝒛𝒛𝑻𝑻 (kg/m3)
𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻 = 𝝈𝝈𝒗𝒗
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Site selection for a monitoring program ultimately starts with defining a candidate development site. That process informs the campaign drivers and design. The project area definition should consider: • Wind resource • Project size • Available Windy Land • Electrical System Access • Site access and constructability • Development restrictions
3. CAMPAIGN DESIGN – POJECT AREA IDENTIFICATION
Focusing on Measurement sites: • Slopes, soil types, land cover, • vehicle access • Constructability • Survivability for storms Field Surveys are very valuable!
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The wind resource assessment campaign can be designed once the project site or sites have been identified. The design process includes determining the following: • Number of measurement sites • General types of monitoring stations (towers, sodar, lidar) • Placement of the monitoring stations • Duration of the measurements • Campaign Budget
3. CAMPAIGN DESIGN
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The preferred number of measurement systems is driven by two primary factors: the size of the project and the terrain complexity. The number of stations required can also be influenced by the other tools applied to the assessment, namely wind flow modeling. Table below provides starting-point guidelines for sizing the monitoring campaign.
3. CAMPAIGN DESIGN - NUMBER OF MONITORING STATIONS
Project Site Terrain Maximum recommended distance
between any proposed turbine location and nearest station
Simple Generally flat with uniform surface roughness 5-8 km
Moderately Complex*
Inland site with gently rolling hills, coastal site with uniform distance from shore, single ridgeline perpendicular to prevailing wind
3-5 km
Very Complex
Steep geometrically complex ridgelines, coastal site with varying distance from shore, or heavily forested
1-3 km
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Siting Measurements • Choose based upon expected
turbine siting • Single measurement:
– central to project area – Representative elevation and
exposure – Avoid measuring at the best
wind location
• Multiple Measurements – Geographic and wind resource
representation – Cover expected wind speed
gradients
• Site Accessibility & local obstructions (exposure) need to be considered
3. CAMPAIGN DESIGN - SITING MEASUREMENTS
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Meteorological Towers • Most common and accepted • Dedicated tall towers –
tubular or lattice • Existing towers
Remote Sensing • Attractive supplement or
primary monitoring tool • Sodar (sonic detection and
ranging) • Lidar (light detection and
ranging)
3. CAMPAIGN DESIGN - CHOOSING MONITORING SYSTEMS
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WRA Campaign design, deployment and operation always involve tradeoffs between cost, convenience and performance Actual costs are very site and region specific, but can be divided into three basic categories: labor, equipment, and other. • Labor
– Primary tasks summarized in table – Some require one person, others involve a
team of five or more
• Equipment – Supplied by vendors; seek multiple quotes – May include: shipping, insurance, customs,
spare parts, installation tools
• Other – Travel, cellular / satellite fees, sensor
calibration, land lease fees, etc. Economies of scale can be realized when purchasing multiple systems together
3. CAMPAIGN DESIGN - BUDGET DEVELOPMENT
Administration
• Program oversight • Measurement plan development • Quality assurance plan development
Site Selection
• In-house remote screening • Field survey & landowner contacts • Obtain land use agreement & permit
Equipment
• Specify and procure • Test and prepare for field • Installation (four to five people)
Operation & Maintenance
• Routine site visits (one person) • Unscheduled site visits (two people) • Preventative maintenance activities • Calibration at end of period • Site decommissioning ( four to five people)
Data Handling & Reporting
• Validation, processing and report generation • Data and quality assurance reporting
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• Tower Selection – Tilt-up – Fixed lattice (guys or self-
supporting) – Existing towers
• Instrument mounting is critical regardless of tower type
– Durable and appropriate for tower
– Prevent movement and support maintenance
• Anemometer selection is driven by program requirements
– Redundant instrumentation is suggested
– Proper orientation and mounting are important
4. EQUIPMENT SELECTION – TALL TOWERS
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• Wind direction and air temperature sensors are also essential to program
– Other parameters may be measured to improve data set
• Data logging and communications are
– Durable and appropriate for tower
– Prevent movement and support maintenance
• Solar-Battery power supplies are most common power sources for tall towers
– Grid power, fuel cells or other larger power supplies may be required for some sites
4. EQUIPMENT SELECTION - TALL TOWERS
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• Basic operational principle: analyzing the frequency shift of emitted sound or light that is bounced back to the source from the atmosphere
• Advantages – measure wind speeds up to and across
the rotor plane of large commercial turbines (200+ m)
– Systems are portable, require less space, site preparation and labor to install and operate
– Often less permitting, short lead times to install and service, and less visual impact
• Disadvantages – Often more costly than towers – High power requirements necessitate
grid power or autonomous power supply
4. EQUIPMENT SELECTION - REMOTE SENSING
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• Can be operated in conjunction with meteorological mast or as a stand-alone station – Value and challenges must be
considered by site / campaign • Differences exist in the measurement of
wind conditions with remote sensing compared to conventional anemometry
– These need to be accommodated in the data analysis and evaluation processes
• Remote sensing systems are gaining use and acceptance across the industry and finance community – well-regarded as supporting components
for site assessment – stand-alone use has less precedent and
may not be as broadly accepted – Engage data end users early
4. EQUIPMENT SELECTION - REMOTE SENSING
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• The installation of measurement systems must be planned in a well-considered, step-by-step process
– Equipment procurement – Acceptance testing and
preparation for deployment – Field deployment preparation – Installation and commissioning
• Health, safety, security and environment (HSSE) must be considered!
• Clear, thorough and accurate commissioning documentation is critical; forms the foundation of O&M and data analysis confidence
5. CAMPAIGN OPERATION - INSTALLATION
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The goal of the operations and maintenance (O&M) phase is to ensure the reliable and continuous operations of all measurement systems throughout the monitoring campaign
• The Operation and Maintenance Manual should also prepare the team to react to unplanned events and performed unscheduled maintenance tasks.
• As for the installation of the systems, the health and safety of the field crew should receive priority at every step of the process.
• Clear, thorough, and accurate documentation of every performed operation and maintenance task is crucial to the program success
5. CAMPAIGN OPERATIONS – STATION O&M
• The way measurement systems are operated and maintained strongly impact the success of the WRA campaign
• An operations and maintenance program should be developed and documented in a manual or procedure document
• The Operation and Maintenance Manual should include scheduled site visits to perform routine, preventive maintenance on the physical structure and visually check the instruments and other components
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• Data logging, storage, transmission are essential characteristics of the campaign and require detailed attention.
• Data logger configuration, storage, and retrieval protocols must be carefully implemented and documented to ensure the highest possible data recovery and ease of data interpretation.
• Frequent review of recorded data should be conducted to diagnose sensor, logger, or tower problems and to implement corrective action as quickly as possible.
• Proper data collection, handling, and storage protocols should be implemented to ensure high data recovery and asset protection;
• documentation should be prepared at all steps.
5. CAMPAIGN OPERATIONS – DATA COLLECTION
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• Validation includes: data conversion, QC, validation, and adjustment
• Accurate data conversion is essential
• Both preliminary data QC and in-depth data validation are required
• On-site records, as well as regional reference sources, provide valuable information during validation
• Experienced parties should be consulted to develop data validation routines, particularly for remote sensing devices
• Documentation is KEY!
6. DATA ANALYSIS – DATA VALIDATION
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M arch 15 , 201 4 M arch 16 , 201 40
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30.6 NW WS30.5 SE WSIcing
30.6 NW WS sd30.5 SE WS sd
56.6 NW WD56.6 NW WD sd
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• Descriptive parameters of the wind resource can be useful for both summarizing the recorded data and the eventual turbine selection and suitability determination processes.
• Wind resource reports can and should be customized to the needs of the eventual end user.
– Financial partner – Turbine vendor
• Many template are available in current guidelines
• International Standards for reporting currently under development by IEC (61400-15)
6. DATA ANALYSIS - REPORTING
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• Complex Flow and/or climatology – Steep terrain, complex
topography, variable surface roughness
– Complicated local or regional flow regimes
– Robust modeling and advanced measurements
• Extreme events
DATA ANALYSIS – SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS
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Thank You +1 518-213-0044
awstruepower.com
Matthew V. Filippelli Principal Engineer [email protected] P: +1 518-213-0044 x 1015 E: +1 518-588-5979