Leading technical advisor completes evaluation of two 100 MW wind farm
phases under development in complex terrain in South Australia
South Australia, 26th September 2016 – OST Energy (OST), the leading
technical advisor for wind, solar and storage initiatives, has delivered
Independent Energy Yield Assessments (EYAs) for two 100 MW stages of the
Hornsdale Wind Farm project under development by leading international
renewable energy developer, Neoen, in South Australia.
Despite recent political hurdles, Australia’s wind power industry has
expanded rapidly during the last decade, with 76 wind farms boasting a
combined capacity of over 4,000 MW in 2015. Last year, these sites were
responsible for 33.7% of the country’s clean energy production, and 4.9% of
its total electricity. South Australia, with its hilly terrain, is an area
of particularly strong wind resources and is a major contributor to these
figures.
However, managing the impact of complex topography on the performance of
wind farms in the region poses a challenge for project developers looking to
make the most of this resource.
At Neoen’s 7,500-hectare Hornsdale site to the north of Jamestown, project
development is taking place in phases, with a number of turbines already
installed at the 100 MW Hornsdale 1 Wind Farm, and the 100 MW Hornsdale 2
Wind Farm currently under construction. Upon completion, the overall
capacity of the project is set to be 309 MW.
OST was engaged to provide EYA services, taking into account the unique
topography and layout of both sites and their impact on expected generation.
In particular, the proximity of the projects led to concerns regarding the
wake effects of one wind farm site on the other. Similarly, the spacing of
the turbines further increased the difficulty in assessing this wake impact,
which if underestimated, risked creating potential generation shortfalls.
Furthermore, a number of steep slopes across the site created areas of
potential flow separation, adding further complexity to the task.
OST’s extensive experience in wake modelling of large onshore and offshore
projects was critical in mitigating this wake effect. OST made use of
site-specific wind turbine power curve guarantees, performance warranties
and contract structure details to inform and strengthen its assessment of
the sites’ predicted energy yields.
In addition, OST undertook flow model validations, making use of existing
remote sensing data to validate wind shear measurements from on-site masts.
The availability of a portable ground-based SoDAR unit at the projects
ensured a means of obtaining accurate wind measurements, particularly on
uneven terrain.
“As the number of wind farms in South Australia continues to increase, the
area’s complex terrain offers fresh challenges for developers looking to
assess the productivity of their sites,” noted Richard Abrams, Director, OST
Energy.
“Our collaboration with Neoen proved extremely fruitful, as we not only
delivered the detailed yield assessments needed to underpin the project’s
financing, but also provided reliance for Neoen and a further eight
international lenders involved in the site.”
“It was a pleasure working with the OST team,” said François
Debaillon-Vesque, Project Manager at Neoen. “The project was subject to
particularly demanding time constraints and OST delivered consistent, high
quality reports, allowing us to make timely, informed decisions.”
About OST
An Edif ERA company, OST is an award winning, independent global engineering
consultancy, specialising in investment support and technical advisory
services for the renewable energy market and offering a complete package of
services to Investors, Lenders, IPPs and Developers.
The firm’s unbiased specialist knowledge and holistic approach provides
clients with accurate insight that they can rely on, in order to make
decisions about renewable energy projects.
Established in 2008 by Oliver Soper and Simon Turner in Brighton, the
business now employs over 120 renewable energy experts throughout the world
in London, Brighton, Paris, Milan, Cape Town, Detroit, Mexico City, Sao
Paulo, Santiago, Sydney and Delhi.
For critical industries and environments world-wide, Edif ERA provide
engineering and consultancy services to reduce risk, optimize performance
and enhance capability, giving our customers the confidence to build
successful operations. Edif ERA is now part of Rina S.p.A, a multinational
testing, inspection, certification and engineering group. For more
information, please visit www.ostenergy.com
