WindSim newsletter May 2002
	Extreme growth within wind energy
	The wind energy market is in extreme growth. Placement of turbines in a wind park is critical for energy optimisation. This is especially true in complex terrain, where wind fields vary significantly over short distances. Our customers have seen a significant increase in energy production after redesigning sites based on WindSim results.
	WindSim is state-of-the-art wind-simulation software. The software is based on the fundamental flow equations, and performs far better than traditional tools in complex terrain.
	Find, design and optimise your wind farm with WindSim. Remember, a 10 % increase of wind speed gives 30 % more energy.
	Recent projects
	- Offshore potential in Norway
	The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate launches a project to calculate the offshore wind potential in Norway. WindSim simulates the wind resources offshore. The project is undertaken by VECTOR AS, in cooperation with the Norwegian Meteorological Institute.
	- NORDEX experiences rough conditions in northern part of Norway
	NORDEX installs sixteen 2.5 MW N80 turbines at Havøygavlen. WindSim is used to predict the turbulence level at this site, a 300 meters high cliff.
	- Redesigning park layout
	"We redesigned a park layout in Spain to optimise the production and had to eliminate some planned turbines because the simulations showed a lack of wind at these sites", says Peter Schwer at NEK.
	- Different performance of neighbouring parks
	Why do two neighbouring parks in the south of Germany perform so differently? The wind park owner EBV seeks an answer with WindSim simulations.
	Technical development
	- WindSim a new Special-Purpose-Product (SPP) in PHOENICS
	CHAM, the developer of PHOENICS, and VECTOR AS launches a co-operation to make WindSim a PHOENICS Special-Purpose-Product. http://windsim.com/news/media/0112_phoenics.pdf
	- Advanced grid techniques
	In complex terrain some sites benefit from using a nesting technique. This involves running two separate simulations, the first based on a coarse model. The results are fed as input to second simulation on a refined model. The new grid technique also allows local refinement.
	- Validation
	"VECTOR AS have performed a couple of tests with Ecotecnia SCCL data with encouraging results," says Pep Moreno, Head of Wind Resources Development at Ecotecnia. "Our current opinion is that the CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) techniques are the most suitable way to get a significant reduction of the uncertainties involved in the wind resource calculations."
	During the last two years we have performed "Blind tests" for the following companies/institutes: Ecotecnia, Enercon, Renewable Energy Systems, Natural Power, Energi- og Miljodata and The Norwegian Meteorological Institute.
	The World Wind Energy Conference and Exhibition, Berlin, 2002
	WindSim will be presented at The World Wind Energy Conference and Exhibition Berlin, 02 - 06 July 2002. We hope to see you at our stand.
	Dispersion
	We are currently using WindSim in a project for ExxonMobil, simulating dispersion of pollution in a crude oil fire scenario.