Optimum hub height of a wind turbine for maximizing annual net profit

• Annual Net Profit was proposed to optimize the hub height of a wind turbine.
• Procedures of the hub height optimization method were introduced.
• Effect of local wind speed characteristics on optimum hub height was illustrated.
• Effect of rated power on optimum hub height was negligible in the range 0.75–3 MW.
• Rated speed and cut-out speed had great effects on optimum hub height.

The optimization method of the hub height, which can ensure the economic feasibility of the wind turbine, is proposed in this study. Annual Net Profit is suggested as an objective function and the optimization procedure is developed. The effects of local wind speed and wind turbine power characteristics on the optimum hub height are investigated. The optimum hub height decreased as the mean wind speed and wind shear exponent increased. Rated power had little effect on optimum hub height; it follows that the economies of scale are negligible in the rated power range of 0.75–3 MW. Among the wind turbine power characteristics, rated speed and cut-out speed most strongly affected the optimum hub height.