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On a standard laptop, the model typically completes in 5 to 15 minutes. Lastly on the Input tab, the user can import the turbine layout as a .CSV file and then simply click the button labeled “Generate Wind Speed Estimates at Turbine Sites” to start the calculations. Gross turbine estimates On the ‘Gross Turbine Ests.’ tab, the user can import turbine power and thrust curves for an unlimited number of models. As soon as a power curve has been uploaded, the software generates the gross annual energy production (AEP) at each turbine site. On this tab, users can view and export the turbine wind speeds, Weibull parameters, AEP, and wind speed distributions overall and by wind direction sector. All export files are formatted .CSV files for easy import into other programs. Net turbine estimates and maps Once the gross energy estimates have been formed at the turbine sites, the wake losses and net AEP can be estimated on the ‘Net Turbine Ests.’ tab. Here, users can select between the Eddy Viscosity or DeepArray Eddy Viscosity wake models. Also on this tab, maps of the waked wind speed can be generated as shown in the screenshot above. This is a great way to visualize the generated wakes and help guide turbine placement. A summary report including
Final stage of the wind flow analysis comes at the Net turbine estimates screen. Wake models can guide turbine placements.
the net energy estimates and a summary of losses can be easily exported. On the Maps tab, users can generate wind speed and energy maps of the project area. These maps may be exported as a .CSV and the wind speed maps can also be saved to a .WRG file, which can then be imported into other wind energy software programs. Uncertainty analysis The uncertainty of the wind-flow model plays a large role in the project’s overall P99, so it is important to have confidence in the uncertainty value used in the evaluation. Often wind-resource analysts will use
Users import power curves and other information to the Gross Turbine Ests screen
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an educated guess for the wind-flow model uncertainty. To remove such guesswork, the Continuum user can easily and quickly perform a ‘Round Robin’ or ‘Leave One Out’ analysis to form an objective estimate of the wind-flow model uncertainty. The Uncertainty tab also provides estimates of the wind speed and energy uncertainties generated at the turbine sites. Bracing for busy times The wind industry is growing across the globe at an increasingly fast rate and windfarm developers, turbine manufacturers, and consultants are doing all that they can to keep up with demand. It is therefore more important than ever to ensure the wind resource assessment team is equipped with the right tools to quickly generate accurate estimates so that the most informed decisions can be made in a timely manner. Continuum offers an innovative approach to wind-flow modeling, which has proven accurate and provides users with an objective way to determine the model uncertainty. The simplified approach circumvents the complexity of CFD, allowing for a much faster computation time without sacrificing model accuracy. The intuitive and user-friendly interface also helps expedite and streamline wind-flow modeling so that estimates are generated quickly and with confidence. The software’s website, www.cancalia. com, includes a peer-reviewed paper with the Continuum model theory and validation studies. Interested parties can request a free trial of the software. W
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