Performance Evaluation of Wind Turbines

A relatively straightforward technique termed the method of bins has been developed that may be used in the determination of the average output characteristics of a particular wind turbine. The technique is applicable to any size or type wind turbine. The output power of a wind turbine as a function of wind speed is not an adequate measure of the power production of a wind turbine. However, the output power as a function of wind speed can be combined with either a knowledge or an estimate of the wind characteristics at a particular location to predict the annual power produced by the turbine. This approach of estimating the annual power production of a wind turbine in some assumed environment is a useful way of evaluating different machines or of evaluating the effects of locating a particular machine at different sites.