Choosing the right equipment to assess wind conditions for your solar power plants is a crucial component to protecting the longevity of solar panels, especially regarding the structural integrity and efficiency of solar tracking systems. There are many different individual factors to consider when making an investment into correct device for you specific application. The guide below offers solar plant operators key insight into choosing the right wind assessment equipment to ensure efficient energy production, risk management, and maximize return on investment.
Why Wind Assessment Matters for Solar Power Plants
Improved Panel Cooling
- Solar panels generate heat during operation, which can negatively impact their efficiency if the temperature gets too high. Wind can serve as a natural cooling mechanism, helping to dissipate excess heat from the panels’ surface.
- By accurately monitoring wind speed and direction, solar plant operators can adjust the positioning of the solar panels to maximize airflow around them. This improved ventilation reduces overheating, which can lead to better performance and a longer lifespan for the panels.
Optimizing Solar Panel Performance with Wind Data
- With wind data, operators can make operational adjustments like slightly tilting the panels to allow airflow to pass beneath them. This is particularly important in regions that experience periods of both high solar irradiance and high temperatures, as excessive heat can diminish solar conversion efficiency.
- Panels designed with dual-axis tracking systems can benefit from real-time wind assessments. The tracking system can be programmed to adjust the tilt and orientation of the panels to maintain optimal cooling while also capturing the maximum amount of sunlight.
Panel Protection During High Winds
- Wind anemometers or ultrasonic sensors measure the wind speed and direction in real time. When wind speeds exceed a predefined safety threshold (often in the range of 20–30 m/s depending on the design and materials of the solar panels), the tracking system initiates a command to stow the panels. This rapid response prevents costly damage to the panels and tracking mounts, which can be bent or dislodged by high winds or extreme weather if left in an exposed position.
Leveraging Data Patterns for Long-Term Optimization
- By analyzing local seasonal and diurnal wind patterns, operators can make informed decisions about the best times to adjust panel angles for both cooling and energy production. For instance, if winds are typically stronger in the afternoons, panels can be adjusted to capture maximum energy during the calmer mornings and then optimized for cooling later in the day.
- Wind data also assists in improving the overall layout of a solar power plant. For example, understanding the prevailing wind direction at different times of the year can guide the optimal arrangement of solar panels to reduce wind resistance and enhance airflow.
- In larger solar farms, wind profiles can vary across different sections of the site. By placing wind sensors in multiple locations, plant operators can fine-tune the design of each array based on localized wind conditions, ensuring consistent efficiency across the entire installation.
Future Expansions or Upgrades:
- The wind data collected can also inform future site expansions or retrofits. As new sections of a solar farm are developed, wind assessments ensure that the new installations are positioned to maximize both energy production and durability.
- Historical wind data can be used to improve the design and selection of new wind-resistant solar panels or tracking systems, further enhancing the plant’s ability to operate efficiently under varying weather conditions.
What to Consider when Choosing a Device
1.Wind Speed and Direction Monitoring
Accurate wind data is critical for determining whether the site’s structural components, such as mounting systems, will endure local wind conditions. Wind anemometers and wind vanes should be chosen based on the range and precision needed. Instruments like ultrasonic or cup anemometers offer high accuracy for capturing real-time data.
2.Durability and Maintenance
Since solar sites are often in remote or harsh environments, the wind measurement equipment needs to be highly durable, with minimal maintenance. Look for systems that can withstand extreme weather conditions, such as high wind speeds, dust, or temperature fluctuations. Equipment designed with durable materials and sealed against environmental conditions will be an optimal choice.
3. Data Integration for Solar Tracking
For solar plants using tracking systems, wind speed, and direction and direction sensors are integrated to adjust panel angles and trigger protective stowing modes during high-speed winds. Finding a device that provides a seamless integration with existing systems to ensure proper real-time adjustments.
4. Siting and Calibration
Placing wind measurement devices in areas that accurately reflect site conditions without obstruction from surrounding structures is crucial in ensuring proper calibration and accuracy of long-term data. This is especially important regarding data-driven decision-making, maintenance, and overall system design.
5. Cost and Budget
One of the key considerations is the initial cost of the devices compared to the long-term financial benefits. While high-quality anemometers, weather stations, and LiDAR or SODAR systems may have higher upfront costs, the data accuracy and ability to enhance energy yield while preventing equipment damage can offer substantial ROI in the long term.
Types of Wind Assessment Equipment
Cup Anemometers
These are among the most common types of wind measurement devices. They consist of rotating cups mounted on a vertical axis that spin in response to the wind. The rotation speed correlates with wind speed. Cup anemometers are widely used due to their simplicity and durability, making them ideal for long-term wind monitoring in solar plants.
Sonic Anemometers
These devices use ultrasonic sound waves to measure wind speed and direction. They are more precise than traditional cup anemometers, as they have no moving parts, reducing the need for maintenance. Sonic anemometers are especially useful in high-precision settings where quick response times and accuracy are critical.
Wind Vanes
A wind vane, also known as a weather vane, is a device used to measure wind direction. It typically consists of a rotating pointer that aligns itself with the wind to indicate the direction from which it is blowing. Understanding the wind’s prevailing direction allows operators to optimize the positioning of solar panels to reduce aerodynamic drag and increase structural stability.
Weather Stations
Comprehensive Monitoring: Weather stations in solar plants often integrate multiple sensors, including wind anemometers, wind vanes, temperature sensors, humidity sensors, and pressure gauges. This combination provides a complete picture of the environmental conditions at the site. Weather stations often feed sit-specific data into solar plant monitoring systems to provide real-time environmental and adjustment insights.
LiDAR and SODAR Systems
LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging): LiDAR systems use laser pulses to measure wind speed and direction at varying altitudes. This technology is particularly useful in assessing wind profiles at heights that traditional ground-based sensors cannot reach.
SODAR (Sonic Detection and Ranging): Similar to LiDAR, SODAR systems use sound waves to measure wind speed and direction. These systems are effective for measuring wind characteristics over large areas and at different atmospheric levels.
Sky Power International's Wind Assessment Solutions
Wind Transmitter “First Class” Advanced Anemometer Series (4.3351.xxx)
- Optimal for Wind Resource Assessment & Power Performance Testing at 61400-12-1 Class A/B Sites.
- Minimum Over-Speeding & Excellent Linearity : R > .99999
- Low Power Consumption & High Durability
2-D Ultrasonic Anemometer (4.382x.3x.xxx)
- Low Power Consumption & High Durability
- Classified acc. to IEC 61400-12-1:2017
- Measurement of wind direction, wind velocity and virtual temperature
- Highest precision, maintenance-free, different heating options
- Digital & Analog outputs
Ultrasonic Anemometer 2-D Compact (4.3877.xx.xxx)
- Orthogonal wind speed vectors (X & Y distance)
- Scalar / vectorial wind speed, wind direction.
- Acoustic virtual temperature
- Predictive maintenance information
- Air pressure (option)
- precise measurement results even under extreme conditions such as heavy rain and typhoons.
Wind Vane Transmitter “First Class” Series (4.3151.00.020)
- Dynamic behavior and high level of measuring accuracy and resolution
- High damping ratio at a small delay distance
- Low starting threshold
- Very low power consumption
- No wear of the potentiometer due to mechanical stress
- Overvoltage and reverse polarity protection
Wind Vane Direction Transmitter Compact (4.3129.60.xxx)
- Measuring transmitter for the measurement of the horizontal wind direction with serial or analog output signal
- The wind vane consists of fiber-glass reinforced, the housing is made of anodized aluminum and plastic
Compact Weather Station- Clima Sensor US (4.921x.x0.00x)
- Four sensors detect the brightness of the individual cardinal directions
- Wind velocity and direction detected by means of ultrasound measurement
- Sea level (QNH) air pressure calculated internally
- Equipped with radar sensor for precipitation quantity, distinguishing between solid and liquid events
- Integrated hygro-thermo sensor measures air temperature and relative humidity
- Analogue data output