Wind Speeds

Wind Speeds

 The relationship between energy yield and wind speed is cubic. Sites with slightly higher wind speeds have significantly higher energy yield for the same capacity installation than those with lower wind speeds.

Energy yield can be calculated using performance curves from different turbine models and measured wind speed data. Manx Utilities current energy yield estimates use the Numeric Objective Analysis Boundary Layer (NOABL) model which is the primary tool used by developers for estimating the energy potential of a site.

Manx Utilities have several different available sources of data for wind speed for Earystane:

• The NOABL Data set is a global wind resource model which includes data for the last thirty years. Data from the Isle of Man meteorological office.
• Data was collected by the Manx Electric Authority from an anemometer at the Round Table site, which is located 2km from Earystane, in 2000
• A Sonic Detection And Ranging (SODAR) Device has been installed at Earystane since September 2023. This device samples a range of wind speeds at different hub heights from 50m to 200m at ten minute intervals.

The average wind speeds from these studies are shown below:

The full SODAR data set from 6 September 2023 is available; the information will be updated as more data becomes available.

Earystane SODAR Data