An Optimization Framework for Wind Farm Design in Complex Terrain

Ju Feng,Wen Shen,Ye Li

doi:10.3390/app8112053

Ju Feng, Wen Shen + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/app8112053

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Abstract

Designing wind farms in complex terrain is an important task, especially for countries with a large portion of complex terrain territory. To tackle this task, an optimization framework is developed in this study, which combines the solution from a wind resource assessment tool, an engineering wake model adapted for complex terrain, and an advanced wind farm layout optimization algorithm. Various realistic constraints are modelled and considered, such as the inclusive and exclusive boundaries, minimal distances between turbines, and specific requirements on wind resource and terrain conditions. The default objective function in this framework is the total net annual energy production (AEP) of the wind farm, and the Random Search algorithm is employed to solve the optimization problem. A new algorithm called Heuristic Fill is also developed in this study to find good initial layouts for optimizing wind farms in complex terrain. The ability of the framework is demonstrated in a case study based on a real wind farm with 25 turbines in complex terrain. Results show that the framework can find a better design, with 2.70% higher net AEP than the original design, while keeping the occupied area and minimal distance between turbines at the same level. Comparison with two popular algorithms (Particle Swarm Optimization and Genetic Algorithm) also shows the superiority of the Random Search algorithm.

Highlights

In the past two decades, the world has witnessed a remarkable growth of wind energy development
Since many suitable sites in flat terrain have already been developed with wind farms, more and more wind farms are going to be built in complex terrain, especially for countries featured by a large percentage of topography covered with mountains, such as China
We present an optimization framework for wind farm design in complex terrain, which was developed in the Sino-Danish research cooperation project, FarmOpt [18]

Summary

Introduction

In the past two decades, the world has witnessed a remarkable growth of wind energy development. According to the latest statistics from the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), the global cumulative installed wind capacity has increased from 23.9 GW in 2001 to 439.1 GW in 2017, representing an average annual increase by 20.4% [1]. Offshore wind is attracting a lot of interests and has grown rapidly in recent years, especially in northern Europe, today it represents only. 4.3% of the global installed capacity of wind energy [2]. As a result of the rapid growth of onshore wind, a lot of onshore wind farms have been built worldwide. Since many suitable sites in flat terrain have already been developed with wind farms, more and more wind farms are going to be built in complex terrain, especially for countries featured by a large percentage of topography covered with mountains, such as China

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