AN INITIAL OVERVIEW OF TURBULENCE CONDITIONS SEEN ATHIGHER ELEVATIONS OVER THE WESTERN GREAT PLAINS

摘要

We discuss early results from a field measurement effort designed to evaluate potential impactsrnof frequent nocturnal low-level jet streams (LLJs) on large wind turbines that operate in thernwestern Great Plains. This effort was undertaken as part of the Low-Wind Speed TurbinernProject (LWST) sponsored by the U.S. Department Energy to help better define the operatingrnenvironment for a new generation of wind turbines that meet the program goals. Early analysesrnof limited case studies from data taken from a 120-m tower on the high plains of SoutheastrnColorado indicate that the presence of a LLJ will, because of its intense vertical wind speed shearrnand bursts of coherent turbulent energy, likely affect the LWST operating environment.