Wind Turbine Upgrade Campaigns

Wind turbine upgrades can potentially yield performance enhancements and an increase in annual energy production (AEP). However, the precise influence of such upgrades can be difficult to quantify, mainly due to uncertainty in the wind speed measurement and complex operational conditions. This article explores an innovative approach to the use of 10-minute SCADA data for quickly and cost-effectively evaluating the effectiveness of upgrades and the impact on wind turbine performance. Operational data is used selectively in order to match conditions before and after the upgrade, and remaining uncertainties are quantified in order to deliver results with a defined level of precision.