Posters

Abstract

As the wind energy industry seeks to maximize efficiency, wake steering has emerged as a promising wind farm control (WFC) strategy to increase annual energy production (AEP). However, the achievable AEP gain for a specific wind farm depends on various factors, including layout, wind conditions, and turbine characteristics. Accurate estimates of these potential gains are essential for operators and investors to make informed decisions about WFC implementation. While the required wake models and simulation frameworks have advanced, many still lack robust validation against field measurements and rely heavily on precise parameterization. Indeed, the choice of model parameters and input data is critical, as they can strongly impact prediction accuracy. To address these challenges, ventodyne has developed a systematic method to estimate the wake steering AEP gain potential using only data from standard energy yield assessments (EYA). This approach employs a state-of-the-art research tool recognized for its flexibility and accuracy in wake modeling. Through a pre-defined systematic approach, the experience of the EYA surveyors is utilized directly, ensuring an unbiased and reliable AEP gain potential estimate. As detailed SCADA data or other measurements do not have to be evaluated, the analysis can be easily scaled to evaluate multiple farms, allowing operators to identify the most promising candidates for a WFC rollout. In collaboration with Energiekontor, a custom wind farm controller was developed and successfully implemented. This deployment, conducted on a nine-turbine wind farm, with two turbines actively engaged in wake steering, allowed for the demonstration of the method’s applicability and effectiveness. A toggle test, alternating wake steering on and off every 50 minutes, was conducted. The energy ratio method, using unaffected free-stream turbines as references, quantified the achieved energy gain. The measured cluster-wide AEP gain of 0.7% closely aligns with the 0.6% gain predicted during the pre-analysis conducted using EYA data. This strong agreement underscores the method’s reliability in estimating wake steering benefits. ventodyne’s approach has been validated by an independent certifier and found to be generally suitable for predicting wake steering AEP gains. This new tool for evaluating WFC benefits can support the broader adoption of wake steering, enabling wind farm operators to maximize profitability while advancing the wind energy industry.