Wind turbines harness the power of the wind as it passes over the blades of the turbine and cause them to rotate. This rotational energy is converted into electrical energy in a generator. Most wind turbines start generating electricity at wind speeds of 3-4 metres per second (about 12 km per hour); generate maximum rated power at around 15 m/s (55 km/h); and shut down to prevent storm damage at 25 m/s or above (90km/h).

The amount of energy available in the wind varies with the cube of the wind speed. A 10 m/s wind contains about twice as much energy as an 8 m/s wind. This 2 m/s difference is the typical size of errors in operational wind forecasts. Such errors in predicted wind speed result in substantial inaccuracies in the prediction of available energy. More accurate wind forecasts would allow a greater confidence in predicting the amount of electricity generated by wind farms, which would allow a more efficient integration of wind energy into the national electricity supply grid. The HiWinds project is focused on developing improved forecasting methods to help reduce the errors in predicted winds, thus enabling better management of wind energy facilities.

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