The impact of weather conditions on the efficiency of wind farms

Do wind turbines produce electricity only when weather conditions are favourable? Where is the best place to locate an investment in a wind farm to ensure adequate efficiency? How can you check this before making an investment decision? We encourage you to read article on the impact of weather conditions, as well as other factors, on the operation and efficiency of wind farms.

Environmental and economic factors mean that renewable energy sources play an increasingly important role in the energy production process. Among them, one of the key solutions for obtaining green energy are wind farms. According to information from the Renewable Energy Institute, in Poland there are already 1.4 thousand wind installations connected to the power grid with a total capacity exceeding 9,320 MW (as at the end of the first quarter of 2024). Moreover, 2023 was a record year in terms of the increase in installed capacity in wind turbines. As you can see, wind energy in Poland is becoming more and more popular and is developing very dynamically. Does this mean that the weather conditions in Poland are so favourable for wind turbines?

The impact of weather conditions on the efficiency of wind turbines

First, it is worth analysing the question of how atmospheric parameters affect the efficiency of wind farms. Since wind turbines convert the kinetic energy of the wind into electricity, it is obvious that the factor necessary for their operation and the ability to produce electricity is wind. The energy generated in this way is directed to an inverter, where it is converted into alternating current and then sent to the home or commercial electrical grid. In the case of a wind farm, it is often necessary to use an energy storage so that the electricity produced in the turbine can be used to charge the batteries.

What wind conditions ensure the greatest efficiency of wind farms? Of course, the presence of wind is a basic factor, but its strength cannot be too strong. Most turbines produce electricity at wind speeds ranging from approximately 3-5 m/s to 25 m/s. The smaller the turbine, the less wind is needed to keep the propeller turning. Too low a wind speed prevents energy production, and when the wind is stronger, the risk of damage to the installation increases. It is assumed that the highest efficiency of wind turbines occurs at wind speeds of 15–25 m/s.

In addition to the strength of the wind, its consistency is also an important factor. The more windy days in a year in the location of the planned investment, the more profitable it will be, because the possibilities of producing electricity will be higher. Also in this context, it is important to use energy storage to maximize the possibilities of using clean wind energy. Other atmospheric factors that need to be taken into account include wind direction (western winds predominate in Poland) and air turbulence zones.

Factors for locating wind power plants

Wind power plants can be located on water or on land. The main factor that should be taken into account in the decision-making process about the investment location are weather conditions, especially the occurrence, strength and stability of the wind. For example, wind maps can be helpful in assessing the potential of a given area, as they contain some tips on favourable factors for locating a wind farm on a macro scale. In the case of Poland, looking at the previously mentioned data from the Renewable Energy Institute, the number of investments in wind farms completed so far may indicate that particularly favourable conditions for their location exist in voivodeships such as kujawsko-pomorskie, wielkopolskie, łódzkie, zachodniopomorskie, mazowieckie czy warmińsko-mazurskie. Conditions in these areas are more favourable than in other parts of the country. However, this does not mean that, for example, in the Silesian or podkarpackie voivodeships there is no place for wind energy. Taking into account that in Poland we have a relatively large number of windy days and the average wind speed is sufficient to produce energy, the conditions for locating wind farms are favourable throughout the country.

The final location of the investment is determined by factors not on a macro scale, but on a micro scale, taking into account weather conditions for a specific location. Both flat, open, coastal areas and mountainous areas with appropriate terrain may have very favourable conditions for building a wind farm. Therefore, the potential location of each investment should be assessed individually. A detailed investment design process comes is necessary, in which you can use, for example, laser scanning offered by Eltel Networks, which allows you to easily and quickly collect huge amounts of precise data and provide a realistic representation of the terrain.