Wind Power Meteorology

Wind power meteorology has evolved as an applied science, firmly founded on boundary-layer meteorology, but with strong links to climatology and geography. It concerns itself with three main areas: siting of wind turbines, regional wind resource assessment, and short-term prediction of the wind resource. The history, status and perspectives of wind power meteorology are presented, with emphasis on physical considerations and on its practical application. Following a global view of the wind resource, the elements of boundary layer meteorology which are most important for wind energy are reviewed: wind profiles and shear, turbulence and gust, and extreme winds. The data used in wind power meteorology stem mainly from three sources: onsite wind measurements, the synoptic networks, and the re-analysis projects. Wind climate analysis, wind resource estimation and siting further require a detailed description of the topography of the terrain – with respect to the roughness of the surface, near-by obstacles, and orographical features. Finally, the meteorological models used for estimation and prediction of the wind are described; their classification, inputs, limitations and requirements. A comprehensive modelling concept, meso/micro-scale modelling, is introduced and a procedure for short-term prediction of the wind resource is described.