Electricity + Control May 2018

ENERGY MANAGEMENT + ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

facturers spend a lot of time checking layout solu- tions for load compliance, and adjust these layouts manually. This process is time-consuming, and also achieves suboptimal results. Using a suite of optimisation tools from an- alytics software firm FICO, WindFarm Designs managed to crack the code by incorporating load constraints in the layout optimisation problem us- ing an MIP formulation with iterative relaxation. The resulting algorithm allowed them to solve the problem in just minutes, for a typical size of 20 turbines. WindFarm Designs now helps clients optimise wind power projects to be profitable, compliant and, ultimately, able to help reduce CO 2 emissions. Conclusion According to Derick Cluley, Head of Operations at FICO South Africa, the ‘Xpress Optimization Suite’ goes a long way in solving complex busi- ness problems. It provides the tools necessary to understand where you are as an organisation, and potential opportunities that are within your reach. By using the world’s most advanced optimisation software, wind energy producers and other busi- nesses can quickly and easily solve massively complex business problems, faster. Klaus Vogstad is the CEO and founder of Markedsslabben AS (parent company/ inventors of WindfarmDesigns) Has over 10 years experience as a senior wind and site analyst Is also the principal inventor of ‘ParkOptimizer’. His interest is to combine practice and theory into tools for the wind industry. Enquiries: Email klaus@windfarmdesigns.com

When developing a wind farm, it is critical to optimise its layout for maximum efficiency.

rotating blades) when the sun is in particular directions, and assessment criteria • Turbine minimum spacings, as defined by the turbine supplier (these are affected by turbu- lence, in particular) • Constraints associated with communications signals, for example, microwave link corridors or radar These constraints may change as discussions and negotiations with various parties progress, so this is inevitably, an iterative process. The number of variables make micrositing a challenging process, and one that is an ideal candidate for advanced analytics that can crunch vast amounts of data to arrive at a scientifically optimal solution. Indeed, some wind energy firms are using these ‘prescriptive analytics’ to solve energy production problems that were once thought un- solvable. At this stage of South Africa’s journey to substantial access to renewable energy for all, we could perhaps take some learnings from what these pioneers are doing. In 2016, Norwegian start-up company Marked- slabben AS (now called Windfarm Designs) man- aged to solve its wind layout challenge, and by so doing, improved its energy yield by 2-5%. The company had employed the use of FICO’s ‘Xpress Optimization Suite’ in its algorithm to optimise wind farm layouts. While industry software previously has been capable of maximising energy yield by heuristics or genetic algorithms, no one has to date been able to incorporate load constraints into the opti- misation. This means that consultants and manu-

Electricity + Control

MAY 2018

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