Analysis on reliability aspects of wind power

The analysis on reliability aspects of wind power finds more significance as compared to that in conventional power generation systems. In spite of the intermittent and variable nature of wind energy, it can be usefully tapped to generate electrical power for meeting part of the energy demand of the population. The present paper undertakes an analysis on the reliable aspects of wind energy conversion system and applies to seven wind farms in Muppandal region in India. For the purpose of analysis, two reliability indices are used; one is coined as the period during which the expected wind energy is not supplied and the other one is the loss of load expectation index which analyzes the degree of matching of wind farm power generation with the load model. The study also investigates the effect of increasing the hub height of wind energy conversion systems. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.