11 PART: OPERATION, PERFORMANCE CHECK &
POST CONSTRUCTION
11.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 3
11.2 Chapter 1: Performance Check & Post Construction Method .......................................... 4
11.1.1 Workflow .................................................................................................................. 5
11.1.2 File Type Overview .................................................................................................. 5
11.3 Data Preparation .................................................................................................................... 6
11.4 Data ......................................................................................................................................... 7
11.1.3 Start Performance Check and Concept Choice ....................................................... 7
11.1.4 Data – Data Source ................................................................................................. 8
11.1.5 Data – Import Setup ................................................................................................. 9
11.1.6 Data – Pair and Load ............................................................................................. 12
11.1.7 Data – Time Series ................................................................................................ 16
11.1.8 Data – Wind Energy Index Database .................................................................... 18
11.1.9 Data – Time Shift ................................................................................................... 24
11.5 Setup Error Codes ............................................................................................................... 25
11.1.10 Error Code in Time Series ..................................................................................... 26
11.1.11 Manage Error Codes ............................................................................................. 26
11.1.12 Separate Error Code File(s) ................................................................................... 26
11.1.13 Import error codes Set-up ...................................................................................... 27
11.1.14 Pairing to WTG object ............................................................................................ 28
11.1.15 Manage Error Codes ............................................................................................. 28
11.1.16 Import Rules ........................................................................................................... 33
11.1.17 Load/Review .......................................................................................................... 34
11.1.18 No Error Code Available ........................................................................................ 36
11.6 Sensor Calibration ............................................................................................................... 41
11.1.19 Wind speed substitution ......................................................................................... 43
11.7 Create Basic PARK Calculation for losses ....................................................................... 45
11.8 Statistics ............................................................................................................................... 49
11.9 Analysis ................................................................................................................................ 52
11.1.20 Analysis – Time series ........................................................................................... 52
11.1.21 Analysis – Error Loss Statistics ............................................................................. 54
11.1.22 Analysis - Error Loss Matrix ................................................................................... 55
11.1.23 Analysis – Power Curve ......................................................................................... 56
11.1.24 Analysis – XY Graph .............................................................................................. 58
11.10 Monthly Gross ...................................................................................................................... 60
11.1.25 Analysis – Wind Energy Index ............................................................................... 62
11.11 Report ................................................................................................................................... 64
11.1.26 Main section ........................................................................................................... 64
11.1.27 Historic Power Curve ............................................................................................. 65
11.1.28 Actual Losses......................................................................................................... 66
11.1.29 Normalized Production .......................................................................................... 67
11.1.30 NET Production...................................................................................................... 68
11.1.31 Export ..................................................................................................................... 69
11.12 Chapter 2: Monthly production to long-term yield ........................................................... 70
Post Construction - Introduction 2
EMD International A/S • www.emd.dk • windPRO 4.1 • September 2024
11.1.32 Wind Energy Index Correction ............................................................................... 70
11.1.33 Analysis – Monthly time resolution ........................................................................ 70
11.1.34 WCP – loss form .................................................................................................... 72
11.1.35 WCP - reports ........................................................................................................ 73
11.13 Chapter 3 Model calibration & Performance Check ......................................................... 76
11.1.36 Model Calibration, loss estimate and long-term expectation. ................................ 76
11.1.37 Time Varying PARK Calculation for Performance Check ...................................... 77
11.1.38 Wind data. .............................................................................................................. 78
11.1.39 Calculation setup traditional PARK calculation ...................................................... 78
11.1.40 Data preparation .................................................................................................... 80
11.1.41 Performance Check – Model calibration start ........................................................ 81
11.1.42 Detailed 10-min / hourly data vs model ................................................................. 82
11.1.43 Data – Pair and load .............................................................................................. 82
11.1.44 Analysis of detailed time resolution ....................................................................... 82
11.1.45 Time series ............................................................................................................ 82
11.1.46 Power curve ........................................................................................................... 83
11.1.47 Analyzer, detailed data .......................................................................................... 85
Post Construction - Introduction 3
EMD International A/S • www.emd.dk • windPRO 4.1 • September 2024
11.1 Introduction
Operating turbines should frequently be checked if they perform as expected. There can be many
reasons for poorer performance than expected when the project was designed. A major reason is that
the model calculation had poor quality or wrong data/assumptions, or the short-comings of the model
itself But also, operational issues like yaw errors, pitching problems, and unforeseen curtailments (e.g.
grid), icing loss, etc. could be the reason.
With the windPRO module PERFORMANCE CHECK, it is possible to analyse the performance in an
efficient way and find reasons for under-/over-performance or fine-tune a wind model to be used for
new projects in the area.
Also, monthly production and availability figures can be efficiently analysed with the tool.
Since windPRO 3.4, PERFORMANCE CHECK has been divided into three work paths.
• Post-Construction:
o Primary focus, detailed investigation into historic losses, and calculation of Potential
Production, Long Term Correction, and Future Net Production reporting.
o Methodology is based on historic measured SCADA power curve, for when the turbine
is in normal operation.
o Based on 10min SCADA data, and turbine error/event logs for defining losses and their
causes.
• PERFORMANCE CHECK:
o Monthly production and long-term correction.
o Primary focus on wind model validation, to existing wind farm production data.
o Long term correction of production data, 10min, hourly or monthly data.
• TR10: Dedicated manual: https://help.emd.dk/knowledgebase User manual Chapter 13.
o Primary focus, German wind farms built under FGW17, must evaluate Goodness factor,
according the TR10 standard. Model is certified by TÃœV SÃœD.
This manual is focused on the Post-Construction path, explaining in detail every Tab in the module
and the workflow. Multiple operations are identical if one uses Performance Check for quantification of
error losses or for model validation.
• 1
st
Chapter is for Post-Construction.
• 2
nd
Chapter is for having only monthly production data and wanting to evaluate long-term
expected yield.
• 3
rd
Chapter is for model validation path, where a time-varying PARK calculation is paired to
actual production to calibrate a wind model to reality, such that the model can be used for re-
powering a wind farm or designing future neighbouring projects.
Post Construction - Chapter 1: Performance Check & Post Construction Method 4
EMD International A/S • www.emd.dk • windPRO 4.1 • September 2024
11.2 Chapter 1: Performance Check & Post Construction Method
The Performance Check module in windPRO allows the user to analyse 10-minute SCADA production
data together with wind turbine error/event logs to evaluate the lost production corresponding to
individual errors and predict the future long-term corrected production.
The calculation is based on the actual 10-minute SCADA data of the wind turbines, combined with the
error/event logs to identify each 10-minute period stop or non-optimal performance, identify the cause
of each event, and categorise and assign responsibilities. If error codes are logged in separate files
with start/stop times, the information can be synchronised with the 10-minute SCADA time series. This
results in a 10-minute time, series of production, wind data, and relevant error codes and their
description.
Once all events with errors and/or non-optimal performance have been filtered out, the remaining
records describe normal operation which is used to establish the historic power curve for each turbine
(typically for 0.5 m/s wind speed bins). For periods with faults or stops the nacelle wind speed and the
historic power curves of the individual WTG are used to derive the potential production. The loss
categories follow IEC 61400 26-1. In this process, the logged actual production during error (and non-
optimal) periods is being replaced with the production found by applying the historic power curve to the
nacelle wind speed at the relevant time steps. The potential production values will tell, what the
turbines would have produced on average under normal operation, if it was not affected by an error
event or partial performance. It represents 100% availability. The actual production from the SCADA
data and potential production are then compared in periods of irregular operation. The difference
results in the lost production for each time step.
Please note, that wake losses (internal and from neighbouring wind farms) are inherent in the SCADA
data and are not quantified separately. Electrical losses i.e. within the cables from the turbine to the
metering point) are handled separately as they appear after the SCADA data are logged.
This potential production is then long-term corrected using a wind energy index based on mesoscale
data or other sources and results in the normalised production. Subsequently, expected future long-
term losses are deducted from the normalised production to assess the expected future net
production. Future losses are either assumed to be identical with previous losses or defined by the
user, if for example, changes in the losses are expected. Additionally, electrical losses and losses due
to degradation can be included.
This method is primarily used for evaluation of operating wind turbines/farms, as the uncertainty of the
net production is typically half of the traditional pre-construction yield estimates based on wind
measurement and models. It can also be used for a detailed investigation into the causes of lost
production and to evaluate if actions should/could be taken to address the causes of lost production.
Post Construction - Chapter 1: Performance Check & Post Construction Method 5
EMD International A/S • www.emd.dk • windPRO 4.1 • September 2024
11.1.1 Workflow
The most typical application and workflow for post-construction analysis is described in the Quick
Guide.
However, since only a few error code logs follow the IEC 61400-26-1 structure, the user can be
confronted with various formats. In case of cascading errors and alarms it might be difficult to identify
the relevant event. Therefore, iterations in the work process might be necessary. For example, the
user might find that some events with a specific fault show no poor production. This could be due to
the fact that the time stamp in the SCADA data belongs to the end of the 10-minute period and not the
start. Consequently, the user has to revisit the loading of the 10-minute SCADA data, change the
setting, load the data again and pair the production data with the right WTGs.
Apart from the pure analysis of SCADA data, the Performance Check module can be operated
together with Performance Check track/work path, such the user can fine-tune and validate a chosen
model set-up by comparing real production with modelled production. Specifically, for assets with poor
availability, or poor data recovery of the SCADA data, it might be advisable to use Performance Check
track rather than Post-Construction to predict the future production.
There are interfaces between the two methodologies. Please note, that both tracks require running a
time-varying PARK calculation. In case of Post-Construction, the nacelle wind speed and historic
power curve of the individual WTG will be used to calculate what the WTG should have produced for
each time step. The time-varying PARK calculation does not require any flow modelling in this case. It
can be started from within the Performance Check module.
In the case of the Performance Check track, a full flow model must be set-up. It is possible to use local
mast data as well as mesoscale data for wind speed information. The model can be queried, for
example to find the most suitable scaling factor of the mesoscale data, or to find the best wake
parametrisation which reflects the observed wakes best. The actual production data can be prepared
in the Post construction module and filtered for events with error codes or sub-optimal performance.
One of the key parameters to identify the success of a specific model set-up is the Goodness factor
which describes how well the model reproduces the measured production.
11.1.2 File Type Overview
By default, all windPRO files are located in the folder \windPRO Data\Projects\…
What
Project file extension
wind base file
*.wbf
Performance Check Error
Settings file
*.pfc
Performance Check Import
Setup
*.pci