Maximization of the annual energy production of wind power plants by optimization of layout and yaw-based wake control: Maximization of wind plant AEP by optimization of layout and wake control

Journal Article · Tue May 24 04:00:00 EDT 2016 · Wind Energy

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/we.1993· OSTI ID:1336182

Gebraad, Pieter ^[1]; Thomas, Jared J. ^[2]; Ning, Andrew ^[2]; Fleming, Paul ^[1]; Dykes, Katherine ^[1]

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1. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO USA
2. Brigham Young University, Provo UT USA

This paper presents a wind plant modeling and optimization tool that enables the maximization of wind plant annual energy production (AEP) using yaw-based wake steering control and layout changes. The tool is an extension of a wake engineering model describing the steady-state effects of yaw on wake velocity profiles and power productions of wind turbines in a wind plant. To make predictions of a wind plant's AEP, necessary extensions of the original wake model include coupling it with a detailed rotor model and a control policy for turbine blade pitch and rotor speed. This enables the prediction of power production with wake effects throughout a range of wind speeds. We use the tool to perform an example optimization study on a wind plant based on the Princess Amalia Wind Park. In this case study, combined optimization of layout and wake steering control increases AEP by 5%. The power gains from wake steering control are highest for region 1.5 inflow wind speeds, and they continue to be present to some extent for the above-rated inflow wind speeds. The results show that layout optimization and wake steering are complementary because significant AEP improvements can be achieved with wake steering in a wind plant layout that is already optimized to reduce wake losses.

• Research Organization: NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States))
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
• DOE Contract Number: AC36-08GO28308
• OSTI ID: 1336182
• Report Number(s): NREL/JA-5000-65892
• Journal Information: Wind Energy, Journal Name: Wind Energy Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 20; ISSN 1095-4244
• Publisher: Wiley
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

17 WIND ENERGY
NREL
wind plant optimization
wind plant systems engineering
wind turbine control
wind turbine wakes