CSA Preface

This is the first edition of CAN/CSA-C61400-12-1, Wind turbines - Part 12-1: Power performance measurements of electricity producing wind turbines, which is an adoption without modification of the identically titled IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) Standard 61400-12-1 (first edition, 2005-12). At the time of publication, IEC 61400-12-1:2005 is available from IEC in English only. CSA will publish the French version when it becomes available from IEC.

1 Scope

This part of IEC 61400 specifies a procedure for measuring the power performance characteristics of a single wind turbine and applies to the testing of wind turbines of all types and sizes connected to the electrical power network. In addition, this standard describes a procedure to be used to determine the power performance characteristics of small wind turbines (as defined in IEC 61400-2) when connected to either the electric power network or a battery bank. The procedure can be used for performance evaluation of specific turbines at specific locations, but equally the methodology can be used to make generic comparisons between different turbine models or different turbine settings.

The wind turbine power performance characteristics are determined by the measured power curve and the estimated annual energy production (AEP). The measured power curve is determined by collecting simultaneous measurements of wind speed and power output at the test site for a period that is long enough to establish a statistically significant database over a range of wind speeds and under varying wind and atmospheric conditions. The AEP is calculated by applying the measured power curve to reference wind speed frequency distributions, assuming 100 % availability.

The standard describes a measurement methodology that requires the measured power curve and derived energy production figures to be supplemented by an assessment of uncertainty sources and their combined effects.