Wind-tunnel Prediction of Wind Power Production in Complex Terrain

An atmospheric boundary layer wind tunnel was used to survey the variation in local wind conditions over a region of the Altamont Pass, California, containing two wind farms. Meteorological data combined with the wind tunnel results were used to predict the power output of the wind farms every half hour over a oneyear period from July 2001 to June 2002. It was observed that the power production of the wind farms could be predicted with 20% error during the high power production summer months, and 40% error during the low power production winter months.