A new method for improved hub height mean wind speed estimates using short-term hub height data

Abstract The estimation of the wind resource at the hub height of a wind turbine is one of the primary goals of site assessment. Because the measurement heights of meteorological towers (met towers) are typically significantly lower than turbine hub heights, a shear model is generally needed to extrapolate the measured wind resource at the lower measurement height to the hub height of the turbine. This paper presents methods for improving the estimate of the hub height wind resource from met tower data through the use of ground-based remote sensing devices. The methods leverage the two major advantages of these devices: their portability and their ability to measure at the wind turbine hub height. Specifically, the methods rely on augmenting the one year of met tower measurements with short-term measurements from a ground-based remote sensing device. The results indicate that the methods presented are capable of producing substantial improvements in the accuracy and uncertainty of shear extrapolation predictions. The results suggest that the typical site assessment process can be reevaluated, and alternative strategies that utilize ground-based remote sensing devices can be incorporated to significantly improve the process.