Wind Turbine Performance: Methods and Criteria for Reliability of Measured Power Curves

In order to evaluate the performance of prototype turbines, and to quantify incremental changes in performance through field testing, Advanced Wind Turbines (AWT) has been developing methods and requirements for power curve measurement. In this document, field test data is used to illustrate several issues and trends which have resulted from this work. Averaging and binning processes, data hoursper wind-speed bin, wind turbulence levels, and anemometry methods are all shown to have significant impacts on the resulting power curves. Criteria are given by which the AWT power curves show a high degree of repeatability, and these criteria are compared and contrasted with current published standards for power curve measurement.