Viability of Open-Source Wind Resource Assessment Software

Abstract

As the world shifts towards renewable energy sources, newer and larger projects come to fruition every year. Renewable energy projects require a complex analysis before proceeding with development. Part of this analysis procedure is resource assessment. This research aims to determine the viability of using open-source software for industry applications. This is performed through a comparison of the current industry standard software, WAsP, and Continuum. A site with a wide range of land cover conditions
is chosen to see how the different software performs under varying conditions. Multiple different measured wind data inputs are used in the comparison, allowing for a comprehensive study. A focus is made on the software’s accuracy, while also comparing the analytics and outputs. The interface, workflow, input data, outputs, computational cost and additional requirements of each software package are discussed. It is found that Continuum is accurate within 8% when compared to WAsP’s annual energy production and capacity factor outputs. Due to the open-source nature of Continuum, it also lends itself to further customised developments that could be advantageous when performing resource assessments. WAsP is found to have preferential reporting outputs, however. This research highlights the opensource resource assessment process, from input to output.