Identification of extreme wind events using a weather type classification

• Published in: Energies (Basel) Vol. 14; no. 13; p. 3944
• Main Authors: Couto, António, Costa, Paula Silva, Simões, Teresa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI 01.07.2021; MDPI AG
• Subjects: Alternative energy sources; Classification; Climate change; Datasets; Electric power generation; Electricity; Energy; Energy resources; extreme events; Extreme weather; Meteorology; Power generation; Power plants; Principal components analysis; Renewable resources; Variability; Weather; Weather regimes; Wind power; wind power ramps; Wind power systems; wind power variability; Portugal
• ISSN: 1996-1073; 1996-1073
• DOI: 10.3390/en14133944

The identification of extreme wind events and their driving forces are crucial to better integrating wind generation into the power system. Recent work related the occurrence of extreme wind events with some weather circulation patterns, enabling the identification of (i) wind power ramps and (ii) low-generation events as well as their intrinsic features, such as the intensity and time duration. Using Portugal as a case study, this work focuses on the application of a weather classification-type methodology to link the weather conditions with wind power generation, namely, the different types of extreme events. A long-term period is used to assess and characterize the changes in the occurrence of extreme weather events and corresponding intensity on wind power production. High variability is expected under cyclonic regimes, whereas low-generation events are most common in anticyclonic regimes. The results of the work provide significant insights regarding wind power production in Portugal, enabling an increase in its predictability.