WER-5: Wind power estimation in the Great Plains

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.