The Impact of Wind Direction on Wind Farms’ Output Power and Income

The main methodology in every wind power prediction model involves converting wind speed into power using the power output curve of the wind turbine. However, preceding studies that have introduced models for such curves have not considered the impact of wind direction and its recurring fluctuations over time on predicting wind turbine power output. The main focus of these studies has just been on the magnitude of wind speed and the relationship between wind speed and turbine power. The present study models the effect of wind direction on wind turbine power output and uses it to modify the quadratic power curve equations. Using these modified equations and considering the turbine mechanism to follow the wind direction, a method is presented for predicting wind turbine power output under frequent changes in wind direction over time. To deal with the lack of access to long term and high-resolution wind data, registered historical data and probabilistic distribution functions are used to produce lost data with software. To demonstrate the efficacy of the suggested approach, the real data recorded for a 1.5 MW turbine installed in Khaf in Razavi Khorasan, Iran, are used as a case study. Finally, the potential wind power and potential income of the four windy regions in Iran were assessed based on the payment mechanism of the Organization of Renewable Energy and Electricity Efficiency of Iran, assuming the same installed capacity. The effect of wind direction and its variations over time, which can affect power output of wind turbine and income, is the main focus of this section of paper.