A potential flow model for wind turbine induction and wind farm blockage

Introduction

In the induction zone, a wind turbine slows down the upwind flow ahead of the rotor. Conventional wind resource assessment methods do not take account of this wind turbine scale effect possibly accumulating to a wind farm scale. Evidence for the presence of appreciable wind farm blockage effects has developed and there is a concern that the potential impact on wind farm energy yield is neither understood nor quantified.