Please login first
149 - EFFICIENCY OF HIGH ALTITUDE ON-SHORE WIND TURBINES: AIR DENSITY AND TURBULENCE EFFECTS – QOLLPANA WIND FARM (BOLIVIA)
* 1, 2 , * 1 , 3
1  Université Libre de Bruxelles, Aero-Thermo-Mechanics Dept, Avenue F.D. Roosevelt 50, CP 165/41, Brussels, 1050, Belgium
2  San Simon University, Energy Research Center, Cochabamba, Bolivia
3  German International Cooperation (GIZ), Wind Energy Advisor to Electric Company ENDE-CORANI, Cochabamba, 2500, Bolivia

Abstract:

The wind energy is one of the most important alternatives for renewable and clean electricity generation. During the last decade the number of wind farms has largely increased in South America. Qollpana is only one case of an on-shore wind farm but it is located at 2900 meters above sea level over a complex terrain. Due to high altitude, the air density is reduced by 40 % compared with sea level and the topographic characteristics induce a high level of turbulence. Qollpana wind farm has two 1.5 MW and eight 3 MW wind turbines reaching 27 MW of installed capacity. October is the month of highest wind average velocity and February with the lowest one. This work analyses the capacity factor of the wind farm, also the air density and the turbulence effects on wind turbine efficiency. The main results show that monthly capacity factor varies between 0.08 and 0.67 in the wind farm. Moreover, the results have shown a considerable effect of the turbulence intensity on the turbines efficiency.

Keywords: Wind energy; High altitude; Air density; Turbulence; Capacity factor
Top