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Baidya Roy et al. 2004
Baidya Roy, S., Pacala, S.W. and Walko, R.L. (2004). Can large wind farms affect local meteorology?. Journal of Geophysical Research 109: doi: 10.1029/2004JD004763. issn: 0148-0227.

The RAMS model was used to explore the possible impacts of a large wind farm in the Great Plains region on the local meteorology over synoptic timescales under typical summertime conditions. A wind turbine was approximated as a sink of energy and source of turbulence. The wind farm was created by assuming an array of such turbines. Results show that the wind farm significantly slows down the wind at the turbine hub-height level. Additionally, turbulence generated by rotors create eddies that can enhance vertical mixing of momentum, heat, and scalars, usually leading to a warming and drying of the surface air and reduced surface sensible heat flux. This effect is most intense in the early morning hours when the boundary layer is stably stratified and the hub-height level wind speed is the strongest due to the nocturnal low-level jet. The impact on evapotranspiration is small.

BACKGROUND DATA FILES

Abstract

Keywords
Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics, Boundary layer processes, Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics, Mesoscale meteorology, Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics, Turbulence, Global Change, Impact phenomena, wind power, wind farm, renewable energy, environmental impact, climate, weather
Journal
Journal of Geophysical Research
http://www.agu.org/journals/jb/
Publisher
American Geophysical Union
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