Turbulence characteristics of wind in complex terrain at the CCSM site

Despite high wind potential sites often lying in complex terrain, few campaigns in complex terrain have both long enough duration and a sufficient number of sites to truly characterize the wind patterns. The Chokecherry/Sierra Madre (CCSM) development site in south central Wyoming is under development with 1000 turbines to be spread over complex terrain with large variations in elevation (100s of meters) that often occur over small distances. The site has been equipped with more than 30 meteorological towers of which several have run continuously for more than five years. The long duration measurements allow for statistical analysis at a level not possible with shorter campaigns, and the number of towers allows for an understanding of the spatial effects of the terrain on the wind. Using these data, it is possible to identify the unique behavior of the winds at different times of day in different parts of the year providing a better understanding of the effect of the complex terrain on the observed wind patterns.