Evaluation of the wind farm parameterization in the Weather Research and Forecasting model (version 3.8.1) with meteorological&nbsp;and turbine power data

Lee, Joseph C.  Y.; Lundquist, Julie K.

doi:10.5194/gmd-10-4229-2017

Evaluation of the wind farm parameterization in the Weather Research and Forecasting model (version 3.8.1) with meteorological and turbine power data

Journal Article · Thu Nov 23 00:00:00 EST 2017 · Geoscientific Model Development (Online)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-10-4229-2017· OSTI ID:1414070

Lee, Joseph C. Y. ^[1]; ^[1]

Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States). Dept. of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences; National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Forecasts of wind-power production are necessary to facilitate the integration of wind energy into power grids, and these forecasts should incorporate the impact of wind-turbine wakes. Our paper focuses on a case study of four diurnal cycles with significant power production, and assesses the skill of the wind farm parameterization (WFP) distributed with the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model version 3.8.1, as well as its sensitivity to model configuration. After validating the simulated ambient flow with observations, we quantify the value of the WFP as it accounts for wake impacts on power production of downwind turbines. We also illustrate with statistical significance that a vertical grid with approximately 12 m vertical resolution is necessary for reproducing the observed power production. Further, the WFP overestimates wake effects and hence underestimates downwind power production during high wind speed, highly stable, and low turbulence conditions. We also find the WFP performance is independent of the number of wind turbines per model grid cell and the upwind–downwind position of turbines. Rather, the ability of the WFP to predict power production is most dependent on the skill of the WRF model in simulating the ambient wind speed.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 1414070

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA--5000-70672

Journal Information:: Geoscientific Model Development (Online), Journal Name: Geoscientific Model Development (Online) Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 10; ISSN 1991-9603

Publisher:: European Geosciences UnionCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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