Institute of Industrial Technology, Faculty of Enginnering Science& Technology, UiT-Tthe Arctic Univeristy of Norway

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Abstract: Cold regions have good wind energy potential due to low temperature and higher air density. Wind resource assessment at cold climate sites is challenging, but important, as wind energy projects development decisions are based on these estimated results. This paper describes a case study of one year (2014) icing event assessment using seasonal SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) data analysis and WRF (Weather Research and Forecasting) simulation of a wind park located in the high north. SCADA data analysis have been carried out with the main focus on seasonal effects on wind power production and icing events assessment and has been sorted in three seasons; winter 1, winter 2 and summer, where results show that seasonal effects are considerable on power production of the wind park. Mesoscale WRF simulations are carried out in addition to microscale Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) based simulations for better estimation of wind resources under icing conditions, where a good agreement is found with the wind park field SCADA data. Both SCADA and mesoscale WRF methods used for assessment of icing events in this paper are focused on high wind speed conditions (from 20 to 25 m/s). Icing events assessment under high wind speed analysis shows that icing events depends on the meteorological conditions, wind flow behavior as well as the location of the wind turbine. Even in same wind park, it is not sure that ice will accretes on all the wind turbines as the wind park layout and change in flow behavior due to wind turbine wakes can effects the occurrence of ice accretion despite the favorable conditions for icing events.

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