Synthetic Wind Generation Records for Australian Wind Farms

In this study, we present methodology to create synthetic multi-year wind generation dataset at minute-scale granularity at the existing and future Australian wind farms. The purpose of the dataset  is to assist studies of penetration of large scale and distributed renewable generation into the electricity systems and its impact on power system security in the National Energy Market (NEM).

Synthetic historical records are based on a spatial and temporal blend of reanalysis datasets with the minute-scale wind speeds observations at Bureau of Meteorology weather station network. Strengths and weaknesses of reanalysis data are illustrated and a correction methodology discussed. A method to introduce minute-scale and sub-hourly fluctuations absent in the reanalyses records is presented. Expected statistical properties of sub-hourly fluctuations in the wind generation records are derived from the characteristics of the background atmospheric state in the vicinity of the wind farms.

The accuracy of the dataset is validated in terms of  power spectra and ramping frequencies in the simulated timeseries against existing minute-scale observations of wind generation at Australian Wind farms. The statistical properties of the observed and simulated timeseries match reasonably well, overall making the dataset suitable for the investigations of  the implications of wind ramping on energy demand and generation at the existing and foreseeable infrastructure build in the NEM.