METHOD OF DETERMINING A LAYOUT OF A WIND ENERGY PLANT

Abstract

Techniques for determining a layout of a wind energy plant comprising a plurality of wind turbines at a site, where the wind turbines are configured for connection to a power grid having a power demand. Techniques include: providing an initial layout of wind turbines at initial positions within the site; obtaining site condition data for the initial layout; estimating an expected power output of the wind energy plant for a predetermined time period; forecasting the power demand within the power grid for the predetermined time period; performing an optimising process on the initial layout based on the estimated expected power output and on the forecasted power demand in order to match the expected power output to the forecasted power demand to obtain an optimised layout of the wind energy plant; and erecting the wind turbines in accordance with the optimised layout.

Claims

1. A method of determining a layout of a wind energy plant comprising a plurality of wind turbines at a site, the wind turbines being configured for connection to a power grid having a power demand, the method comprising: providing an initial layout by arranging the plurality of wind turbines at initial positions within the site; obtaining site condition data for the initial positions of the plurality of wind turbines, wherein the site condition data comprises expected wind speed data; estimating an expected power output of the wind energy plant based on the initial layout and on the site condition data for a predetermined time period; forecasting the power demand within the power grid for the predetermined time period; performing an optimising process on the initial layout based on the estimated expected power output and on the forecasted power demand in order to match the expected power output to the forecasted power demand to obtain an optimised layout of the wind energy plant; and erecting the wind turbines in accordance with the optimised layout.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing the optimising process comprises a step of changing the position of at least one of the wind turbines.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the performing the optimising process further comprises a step of obtaining site condition data for the changed position of the at least one wind turbine.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the site condition data further comprises estimated wind direction data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the site condition data is based at least partly on meteorological data obtained at the site during a measurement period.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the measurement period is at least one year.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the site condition data represents variations as a function of time of year.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the site condition data represents variations as a function of time of day.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing an initial layout is based on at least one of historical meteorological data and terrain data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the estimating the expected power output of the wind energy plant comprises a step of estimating an expected power output of each of the wind turbines individually.

11. A method of determining a layout of a wind energy plant comprising a plurality of wind turbines at a site, the wind turbines being configured for connection to a power grid having a power demand, the method comprising: estimating an expected power output of the wind energy plant based on at least two inputs for a predetermined time period; the at least two inputs comprising: an initial layout of the plurality of wind turbines arranged at initial positions within the site; and site condition data for the initial positions of the plurality of wind turbines, wherein the site condition data comprises expected wind speed data; forecasting the power demand within the power grid for the predetermined time period; and generating an optimised layout of the wind energy plant by performing an optimising process on the initial layout based on the estimated expected power output and on the forecasted power demand in order to match the expected power output to the forecasted power demand.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0047] Embodiments of the disclosure will now be further described with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0048] FIG. 1 illustrates a diagrammatic view of a wind energy plant;

[0049] FIG. 2 illustrates an initial layout of a wind energy plant;

[0050] FIG. 3 illustrates an intermediate layout of a wind energy plant;

[0051] FIG. 4 illustrates an optimised layout of a wind energy plant; and

[0052] FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating of an embodiment of the method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0053] It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating embodiments of the disclosure, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

[0054] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a wind energy plant 1 comprising a plurality of wind turbines 2, three of which are shown. The wind turbines 2 are connected to a power grid 3 via a point of common coupling 4. Accordingly, the power produced by the wind turbines 2 is supplied to the power grid 3. The wind energy plant 1 is erected in accordance with the method schematically illustrated by the flow chart 100 in FIG. 5.

[0055] The wind turbines 2 are further connected to a central unit 5 via a communication connection 6, thereby allowing data collected at the wind turbines 2 to be communicated to the central unit 5. The central unit 5 may comprise a central data hub of the wind energy plant 1, a SCADA system, a power plant controller (PPC), or any other suitable kind of central unit for control and/or supervision of the wind turbines.

[0056] FIG. 2 illustrates an initial layout of a wind energy plant 1 comprising a total of seven wind turbines 2 at a site 10. A lake 12 is also located at the site 10. Each of the seven wind turbines 2 are marked as a cross and denoted W1, W2, W3, W4, W5, W6, and W7, respectively.

[0057] The initial layout illustrated in FIG. 2 is provided by randomly arranging the plurality of wind turbines within the site while considering the terrain to avoid positioning of a wind turbine 2 in the lake 12 and while considering the dominant wind direction. Additionally, the constrains, such as site conditions including unavailable areas within the site, e.g. lakes, woods, buildings, etc., a specific number of wind turbines to be erected, or a range of available number of wind turbines, specific type or types of wind turbines, etc., are determined and used as basis for the optimising process. Furthermore, a minimum distance between the wind turbines is included as basis for the optimising process. This distance may dependent on the type of wind turbine, hub height, rotor size, and expected weather conditions e.g. wind conditions.

[0058] An optimising process is performed on the initial layout as illustrated in FIG. 2 based on the estimated expected power output of the wind turbines 2 and on the forecasted power demand of the power grid in order to match the expected power output to the forecasted power demand to obtain an optimised layout of the wind energy plant.

[0059] In the illustrated embodiment, the optimising process comprises one or more step of estimating an expected power output of the wind energy plant based on an intermediate layout and on the site condition data, and forecasting the power demand within the power grid for the predetermined time period, where a first intermediate layout may be based on the expected power output for the initial layout, and a second intermediate layout may be based on the expected power output for the first intermediate layout.

[0060] A first intermediate layout of the wind energy plant 1 is illustrated in FIG. 3. In the intermediate layout, the position of wind turbine W1 has been changed to W1′. Likewise, is the position of the wind turbines W5, W6, and W7 changed to W5′, W6′, and W7′, respectively, as indicated by the arrows. The positions of the wind turbines W2, W3 and W4 are unchanged, i.e. the positions of these wind turbines are not moved relative to the position of the initial layout illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0061] The optimising process is carried out until the best match between the expected power output and the forecasted power demand is achieved.

[0062] FIG. 4 illustrates an optimised layout of a wind energy plant 1. The position of wind turbines W1, W6′, and W4 are unchanged, whereas the position of wind turbine W7′ has been changed further to W7″. Wind turbine W2 has been substituted by another type of wind turbine W2′, and wind turbine W5 has been cancelled.

[0063] When the optimised layout is achieved, the wind turbines 2 can be erected in accordance with the optimised layout to thereby provide a wind energy plant 1 as illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0064] FIG. 5 is a flow chart 100 of an embodiment of the method. The method is initiated in step 101, in which an initial layout is provided by arranging the plurality of wind turbines 2 (see FIGS. 2-4) at initial positions within the site 10 (see FIG. 2-4). The step 101 is based at least partly on terrain data, e.g. to avoid that a wind turbine is arranged in a lake or in a deep cleft, on the dominant wind direction, and on a determined minimum distance between the wind turbines.

[0065] In step 102, site condition data is obtained for the initial positions of the plurality of wind turbines. The site condition data comprises at least expected wind speed data. Additionally, the site condition data may comprise one or more of wind direction, turbulence conditions, wind shear, ambient temperature, humidity, precipitation, air density, and pressure. The site condition data may represent variations as time of year and variations as a function of time of day, as exemplified in Table 1.

[0066] In step 103, an expected power output of the wind energy plant based on the initial layout and on the site condition data is estimated for a predetermined time period.

[0067] In step 104, a power demand within the power grid is forecasted for the predetermined time period. The forecast is based on the expected power consumers, e.g. in terms of expected number of inhabitants to which the power grid delivers power, expected number of housings, expected number and type of industry, hospitals, etc., including a step of forecasting a change with regard to e.g. inhabitants, industry, etc. for the predetermined time period. Furthermore, the step of forecasting the power demand within the power grid for the predetermined time period further comprises a step of forecasting the power output from other sources delivering power to the power grid.

[0068] In step 105, an optimising process is performed on the initial layout based on the estimated expected power output and on the forecasted power demand in order to match the expected power output to the forecasted power demand to obtain an optimised layout of the wind energy plant.

[0069] The step 105 of performing the optimising process may comprise an additional step 105a of changing the position of at least one of the wind turbines and/or a step exchanging the type of wind turbine for at least one of the wind turbine and/or a step of changing the hub height for at least one of the wind turbines and/or cancel a wind turbine and/or include an extra wind turbine to thereby change the layout. Subsequently, an expected power output may be estimated for the changed layout in step 103.

[0070] In step 106, wind turbines are erected in accordance with the optimised layout, thereby providing a wind energy plant 1 as illustrated in FIG. 1.