Probable power production in optimally matched wind turbine generators

The windmill design can be optimally matched to the site meteorological characteristics for maximization of the turbine performance-index. This paper focuses on the performance of optimally matched wind turbine generators (WTGs) as affected by the WTG operating concept and the statistical behavior of wind speeds. Pitch regulated fixed-speed (FS) and variable-speed (VS) operating concepts are considered. Improved models are developed for representing the turbine power coefficient and estimating the probable power production. The work in this paper is beneficial in estimating the expected power and energy production in wind farms with multiple technologies of different operating concepts. In addition, this work is beneficial in the techno-economic analysis for wind farm design and upgrade. For the selected sites in Egypt, it is found that it is possible for variable-speed systems to produce about 9% increase in the average probable power in comparison with fixed-speed systems.