A wind resource assessment around large mountain masses: The speed-up effect

ABSTRACT

The wind potential around an intensely mountainous area has been studied and an experimental analysis is presented the output of which could be used in the wind farm planning procedure aiming at maximization of the wind power production output of an area. The wind speed of a chosen site of Central Greece was studied based on field measurements around a large mountainous area of Central Greece. Understanding flow in the foothills and the wider area of the mountains is of great importance for estimating wind resource in rough terrain. In this article, special focus was given to the speed-up effect and forced air flow around mountainous masses.

KEYWORDS:

• Air flow
• foothills
• mountainous areas
• speed-up effect
• wind measurements

Acknowledgments

The preparation of this article would not have been possible without the support of the Certified Laboratory of Wind Measurements of Vector Hellenic Windfarms S.A.