Musselroe wind farm – wind monitoring
Client: Hydro Tasmania
Location: Tasmania, Australia
Date: August 2009 – 2015
Providing high quality wind data to support development and commissioning of the Musselroe wind farm.
Background
Gathering long-term, reliable wind data is a vital step in wind farm success. At the Musselroe Wind Farm in north-east Tasmania, Entura had installed a 70 m met mast to provide long-term data. However, two additional 80 m hub-height anemometers were identified as being required to characterise the site and refine the energy estimate and associated uncertainty to support project financing, and to conduct a power curve test after installation of the wind turbines. Installation of these masts was managed by Entura, along with a third mast installed after wind turbine commissioning, for the purposes of power curve testing.
Solution
Entura negotiated with the client on the mast specification and siting before engaging subcontractors to manufacture and install the masts on site, under rigorous safety assessment and supervision by Entura. Entura technicians equipped the tower with instrumentation, solar power and logging equipment, and commenced transmitting data via the mobile phone network to the Entura office database. Since commissioning of the masts, continuous high-quality wind data has been provided to the client via an interactive website developed by Entura.
Outcome
This project was instrumental in facilitating the successful development of the Musselroe Wind Farm, by reducing the uncertainty in the predicted energy to achieve more favourable project financing terms, fulfilling the wind farm power curve test obligations, and showing that the wind turbines were operating as expected.
Entura’s valuable long-term experience of installing wind monitoring systems allowed us to identify and understand the potential risks of this project, and successfully address these in the planning stages.
Entura’s practical skills and experience in wind monitoring installations contributed to the successful selection, installation and maintenance of high-quality instrumentation on the masts, while ensuring the highest levels of safety, and adherence to relevant standards, including IEC 61400-12-1.
Entura also provided the expert technical oversight to ensure that the masts were both suitable for their initial purpose as well as able to be used for a power curve test several years after installation.
