WER-5: Wind power estimation in the Great Plains
Citation
Thomann, Gary C. and Mark T. Jong. Wind power estimation in the Great Plains. Wichita State University. Wind Energy Laboratory, Wichita, Kan., 1978. 20 p.
Abstract
Some aspects of wind power estimation are examined. Confidence intervals
for wind power density are calculated from existing National
Weather Service wind data for the Great Plains area. Correlation of
yearly mean wind speed and yearly mean wind power density, and long term
(yearly) and short term (3 hourly) correlation between stations of wind
speed and wind power density are investigated. It is concluded that
twenty years of wind data would be required to make an estimate of the
average wind power to within 5 - 10% with 95% confidence. There exists
a strong correlation between yearly mean power density and yearly mean
wind speed. A low level of correlation is found between the stations of
yearly mean wind power. However. short term correlation analysis showed
a higher correlation between stations with an inverse relationship between
the correlation and the distance between the stations.