The Critical Value of Power Curve Testing for Wind Farms

To assure wind farm developers that their investment performs as expected, IEC-compliant power curve testing has become a crucial step in establishing wind energy production capability. These tests ensure that wind turbines can produce the proposed amount of wind energy described in the prospectus and in the turbine supply agreement specifications. By conducting IEC-compliant power curve tests, our experts can develop power-predictability measures that businesses and banks can trust.  

IEC-compliant power curve testing provides an assessment of concurrent meteorological and turbine operating data verifying that the supplied turbines can perform to the specifications set during the project’s development phase. Power curve tests measure the energy generated and concurrent site-specific meteorological conditions using MET masts and advanced technologies, such as LiDAR systems. The tests include terrain assessment and site calibration testing. They may include electrical wind power testing and electrical power measurement in the wind turbines. The information collected and associated test results also give the sponsor valuable information in relation to managing its turbine supply agreement warranty.  The power curve test is only one of the important tools that the Enertis Applus+ Wind Team offers to ensure wind farm investment performance through its suite of services spanning wind farm development, construction, start-up, and operational phases.

Our Wind Credentials

The Enertis Applus+ Wind Team combines 25 years of independent engineering and consulting in renewable energy with Barlovento Applus+’s 25 years of expertise in wind farm power curve testing and more. Bringing these capabilities together, our team offers wind farm developers and financiers the kind of expertise that enables them to conduct operations and arrange financing with confidence. Barlovento Applus+, a globally acknowledged leader in wind energy, was acquired by the Applus+ Group in 2023. 

Having performed accredited power curve tests on over 300 wind turbines globally, recognized as an IECRE testing laboratory, and holding an accredited membership in MEASNET, our Power Curve Team complies with international renewable energy testing standards to ensure the quality and reliability of wind turbine data and testing best practices.

“We are a full-service, accredited, turn-key shop for wind farm development, construction, and operation, including IECRE-compliant power curve testing. We support our clients from early-stage development advisory through hands-on technical services in construction and operations. We install IECRE-compliant power curve test equipment to collect meteorological (MET) mast and remote sensing device (ground based LiDAR and also nacelle mounted LiDAR) measurements. We use the collected MET data to assess the wind conditions up-wind of the nominated test turbine(s).  And, we synthesize data from the MET mast or LiDAR and operational data from the test turbine(s) to assure that the project is operating to the warranted power curve specifications,“ said Nick Capaldo, Director of Wind Advisory Services for Enertis Applus+.

In addition to wind turbine power curve testing, Enertis Applus+ offers a full range of wind farm technical services including: wind turbine measurement for acoustic noise, measurement of mechanical loads, turbine control tests (under a variety of critical operating and safety conditions), fault ride through testing, power quality measurement (for the verification of the grid-code compliance), meteorological measurement of the wind resource, analysis of a variety of operational wind turbine variables (to determine their influence on installation performance), and small wind turbines testing for performance and noise.

The full suite of Enertis Applus+ wind advisory services includes: owner’s engineering, wind resource measurement campaigns and energy assessments, independent engineering for financing, wind turbine testing, wind manufacturing QAQC services, operational project services, and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) technical due diligence.

Enertis Applus+ | https://www.enertisapplus.com/