WindFarm

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WindFarm is wind energy software used to analyse, design, optimise and visualise wind farms. It calculates and optimises the energy yield subject to natural, planning (including noise) and engineering constraints. WindFarm has the wind modelling software MS-Micro[1] integrated. MS-Micro is based on the same linear-aerodynamic model as WAsP, output from which can also be used. In addition WindFarm has the capability of using wind field input from the more sophisticated CFD software Meteodyn WT[2] and WindSim. WindFarm is used by some of the largest wind farm developers and produces energy assessments for financing proposed wind farms, along with detailed visualisations used for the permitting process.

Visualisations in WindFarm include photomontages (at the resolution of the input photographs), zone-of-visual-impact maps, shadow flicker, radar ceilings and 3D visualisation.[3] The last displays perspective views of the landscape using aerial photographs, including turbines, forests, trees, hedges and buildings. It is capable of producing realistic fly-throughs and the depiction of the visual impact improved.

History

WindFarm has been developed by Alan Harris of the independent company ReSoft Ltd. Alan Harris is a mathematician / aerodynamicist and worked in Canada as well as the UK in the aircraft industry before becoming involved in wind energy in 1987. Initially involved in designing vertical axis wind turbine blades and then the design and analysis of wind farms, he formed ReSoft Ltd in 1997 to produce the

software suite WindFarm.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Zephyr North, MS-Micro
  2. ↑ Meteodyn WT CFD Software
  3. ↑ Introduction to 3D Landscape Tools - Windtech International Oct. 2007

External links

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