Analysis of wind condition and power production from wind turbines on farms in Norway

• Main Author: Rathke, Ole August Grøtte
• Format: Master Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: The University of Bergen 2023
• Subjects: 719999; Norway; Troms og Finnmark; Vestfold; Viken; Finnmark; Nordland; Troms
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/11250/3072810

Our world is heating up; we have reached a global temperature of 1.1 °C and will surpass the 1.5-degree target, and as the world increases its electrification, more power is needed. The current global electricity mix comprises 63.3 % of fossil fuel and 36.7 % of renewables. In Norway, our primary electricity source is from hydroelectric dams; however, as more energy is needed and to meet the 2030 GHG emission target, more renewable energy source has to be built. Is it possible to have wind turbines on farms to meet this future demand and help with the energy transition? - What is the wind and power generation potential on Norwegian farms? With data taken from the NORA3 wind data set and map data on agricultural areas in Norway from Statistics Norway (SSB), I found the wind speed, at a height of 40 meters, for the major Norwegian agricultural areas between 2010 and 2018. In my study I found that the best wind conditions are in Rogaland, with Nordland, Møre og Romsdal, Troms og Finnmark, and Agder having good wind conditions, especially near the coast . Vestland has medium good wind conditions while Trøndelag, Vestfold og Telemark, Viken, and Innlandet have the lowest wind speeds out of the 10 counties. -What is the typical power production potential for each county? Hourly wind data from 2010 to 2018 was used to calculate the power generated by the turbine. The data presented on the map are in kWh, meaning that this is the energy each turbine generates during one hour on average. Three turbines were selected; however, the Vestas V39 turbine has the potential to extract the most out of the wind available. Though the T100 turbine has the lowest power coefficiency, we can still expect it to perform better in lower wind situations due to its lower cut-in wind speed. -How does it compare to the power demand for a typical milk barn and household? The V39 turbine can generate enough energy for the farm in most of the counties. We can see that Vestfold og Telemark can generate enough electricity except from April to ...