Mountain wave and downslope winds impact on wind power production

Vertically propagating mountain waves, accompanied by strong downslope winds, occur frequently along the coast of Norway and cause accelerated surface winds on the lee side and downstream of the mountain. Mountain waves form when stably stratified air flows over a mountain and can potentially impact the power production in wind parks located in complex terrains. Although mountain waves and downslope windstorms have received significant attention within the meteorology community, they have received less focus within the wind energy industry. Taking advantage of wind and power production data from a grid of 67 wind turbines spread across two nearby mountains, this study documents accelerated wind speeds and enhanced power production on the lee side of the mountains compared to the mountain crest. The result of this study suggests that considering mountain waves in the planning phase of future wind parks may allow for an optimal layout of the wind turbines and improve profitability. The non-dimensional mountain height, H^, is a key parameter for describing the development of mountain waves, and this study finds a strong relationship between H^ and the accelerated downslope winds. The results of this study suggest that mountain-wave-induced accelerated downslope winds tend to occur in the wind park when H^