Online course Small wind power – Planning © Renewables Academy (RENAC) AG This copyrighted course is part of the series of online study programmes offered by the Renewables Academy AG. The course materials are provided exclusively for personal or curriculum and course- related purposes to enrolled students and registered users only. Any further use of this material shall require the explicit consent of the copyright and intellectual property rights holders, Renewables Academy AG. This material or parts of it may neither be reproduced nor in any way used or disclosed or passed on to third parties. Any unauthorised use or violation will be subject to private law and will be prosecuted. Berlin, 2020-03-12 Table of Contents 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 3 1.1 Learning objectives of the course ........................................................................................... 3 1.2 Introduction to the course ...................................................................................................... 3 2 Project planning .............................................................................................................................. 4 2.1 Environmental impacts............................................................................................................ 4 2.2 Social impacts .......................................................................................................................... 5 2.3 Quality of energy service and energy quality standards ......................................................... 5 2.4 Energy needs analysis and system layout ............................................................................... 6 2.5 Load profile for different times of the year ............................................................................ 7 2.6 Load profile example ............................................................................................................... 8 2.7 Energy efficiency ..................................................................................................................... 9 2.8 Demand-side management ................................................................................................... 10 3 Site assessment ............................................................................................................................. 11 3.1 Need for site specific data ..................................................................................................... 12 3.2 Wind measurement ............................................................................................................... 12 3.3 Influence of obstacles on the wind resource ........................................................................ 14 3.4 Recommendations ................................................................................................................ 16 4 Small wind turbine annual energy production calculation ........................................................... 16 4.1 Methodology for calculating the annual energy production of a small wind turbine .......... 16 4.2 Losses .................................................................................................................................... 20 5 Wind/battery and hybrid system sizing algorithm ........................................................................ 21 5.1 Balance of generation and consumption .............................................................................. 21 5.2 System sizing algorithm ......................................................................................................... 23 5.3 Input data for sizing algorithm .............................................................................................. 24 6 Costs .............................................................................................................................................. 26 6.1 Investments costs .................................................................................................................. 26 6.2 Maintenance costs ................................................................................................................ 27 6.3 Energy generation costs ........................................................................................................ 28 7 Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 29 7.1 Fundamental recommendations for successful small wind power projects ........................ 29 7.2 References ............................................................................................................................... 0 Abbreviations .......................................................................................................................................... 2 Further reading ........................................................................................................................................ 3 Small wind power - Planning Page 2 of 35 12/03/2020 1 Introduction 1.1 Learning objectives of the course Learning objectives: Upon completion of this course, you should be able to • describe the main steps in implementing a small wind turbine project • calculate small wind turbine annual energy production • explain the most important factors behind small wind turbine capital and operating expenses 1.2 Introduction to the course Wind power provides a clean, renewable and economic source of energy. But a wind power system is a long-term investment, and the amount of energy that can be generated is dependent on technical characteristics of the wind turbine as well as the site-specific wind resource. For optimal utilisation of small wind systems – and to make the most of the investment – requires attention to two key areas of consideration: the supply side and the demand side. A supply-side assessment consists of the wind resource assessment, site topography investigation, and assessment of relevant permitting needs and restrictions. In addition to the local wind potential, it is important to be aware of all the environmental and social constraints that may arise with respect to siting the turbine(s), energy potential, grid connection, maintenance, and safety. A demand or load analysis, usually undertaken through an on-site investigation, is an equally important step in planning a project. The load profile assessment provides information on when and how much power is needed. Through a precise assessment, it is usually possible to find load adjustments that suggest efficiencies, enabling a smaller wind system capacity and better economic outcomes. Usually, the greatest efficiency gains come through a reduction in energy demand achieved by implementing energy conservation measures or using energy-efficient devices. This course will explain the necessary steps to plan a small wind project. Introduce a methodology for calculating annual energy production of the system. Provide sizing algorithm and required data to input the sizing algorithm for hybrid systems. Finally, in describes the parameters that influence the site evaluation and assessment. This may help maximise the wind turbine output and reduce the investment, operation and maintenance costs of a small wind turbine project. Small wind power - Planning Page 3 of 35 12/03/2020 2 Project planning Planning is an important phase of the project of using a small wind system. At this stage, the various environmental and social impacts of the project are evaluated, and issues related to the quality of the system and the possible problems are caused by not paying attention to it are addressed. At the same time, energy demand (load) estimation is also performed. Also, effective factors for load correction and optimization such as energy optimization and demand management are also considered. The advantage of using energy optimization in energy consumption or demand management is better and more convenient wind turbine sizing that meets the site's energy needs with the least investment cost. Learning objective: Upon completion of this chapter, you should be able to • describe the impacts of small wind turbines on the surrounding environment and societies. • identify the quality of service standards from both a technical and commercial perspective. • describe the electricity demand analysis elements and provide load profile. 2.1 Environmental impacts Learning objective: Upon completion of this page, you should be able to • describe the range of possible negative impacts of small wind turbines on the surrounding environment. Generating electricity from wind can have environmental benefits, including reduced reliance on fossil fuels and thus reduced CO2 emissions. However, small wind turbines can have negative impacts on the immediate environment: • Small wind turbines may be physically hazardous as it has moving parts located high above ground. The turbine should be checked and maintained regularly to ensure no parts are coming loose that could fly off during operation. • Small wind turbines emit noise that can cause stress. In many countries, siting regulations include restrictions to help prevent unhealthy noise exposures. Noise is generally not problematic if the distance to residential homes or sensitive areas is sufficient. The impact of the noise can be calculated for different