Wind Power Production Forecasting

Project facts

Project promoter:
SEDAM IT Ltd.(HR)
Project Number:
HR-INNOVATION-0009
Status:
Completed
Initial project cost:
€468,000
Final project cost:
€996,238
Other Project Partners
Energy Institute Hrvoje Pozar(HR)

Description

Sedam IT is a leading provider of ICT solutions and services on Croatian market, with headquarters in Zagreb. Their main areas of work include:
1. Development, implementation and servicing proprietary software solutions,
2. ICT infrastructure solutions and services.

This project aims to develop a wind power production forecasting solution (based on the static and dynamic inputs), which will be adjusted for the specific wind conditions along the Dinara mountain range and custom tailored to the characteristics of regional wind power plants. The solution will use historic and near real time data from wind power plants, and weather forecast data from Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service and/or other forecast data (e.g. weather research and forecast model from US National Center for Atmospheric Research and University Corporation for Atmospheric Research). Prediction will be presented through the visualization module.

Using advanced machine learning tools and the in-depth knowledge of the project partners Sedam IT and Energy Institute Hrvoje Požar, the solution will decrease the root-mean-square deviation (forecast error) of the production forecast, leading to a lower balancing energy cost.

Solution has confirmed its functionality in lab conditions and this project is aiming at finishing its development and bringing it to the market.
 

Reduction of forecasting errors increases the necessary system capacity for balancing, thereby allowing a larger share of intermittent power plants (wind and solar) in the energy mix. Furthermore, lower costs of balancing for wind farms is also additional motive to invest capital into wind farms. With lower operating costs of wind power plants when compared to fossil fuel power plants, the share of fossil fuel power plants in the energy mix gets reduced, thereby contributing to less CO2 emissions from fossil fuel power plants.

Summary of project results

The Bora wind, typical for Croatia and the region has uneven blowing patterns. Therefore, predictions of energy production generated by wind power plants are inaccurate, resulting with high costs, due to power plant commitments. This makes investment into power plants in Croatia unattractive, which in the end results in lower ratio of energy generated from the renewable resources in total energy grid in Croatia.

It is necessary to find the solution which would enable (more) accurate predictions of energy generation by wind power plants, to attract more investors into this business, and therefore, further green this sector. 

As a response to the challenge, the partners developed a wind power production forecasting solution (based on the static and dynamic inputs), which can be adjusted for the specific wind conditions along the Dinara mountain range and custom tailored to the characteristics of regional wind power plants. 

With the use of the advanced machine learning tools and the in-depth knowledge of both Project Partners, the solution enables decreasing the root-mean-square deviation (forecast error) of the production forecast, leading to a lower balancing energy cost.

As the solution is  ready for the market (primarily for the Dinara region, which is characterized by the blow of Bora wind). The Output - innovative technology - new for the market has been successfully developed. 

 

 

The beneficiaries of this project are primarily the partners - Sedam IT and Energy Institute Hrvoje Pozar, who will have financial benefits from this project. 

It is expected that the project will result in double digit increase of revenues and profit of Sedam IT, with 3 new employments and 1 Intellectual Property Right registered, after 2024. The application for registration of IPR is under way, while at this point is too early to report on business results. 

Because of the cost savings resulting from more accurate production forecasts, business beneficiaries from this project are also wind power plants/farms.

The green element under this project is indirect, since it is not possible to estimate the decrease of CO2 resulting from new power plants entering into the business of energy production. However, because of more energy generated from energy renewable resources in the energy grid of Croatia, and therefore lower emissions of CO2, the beneficiary of this project is the society in general. 

 

Information on the projects funded by the EEA and Norway Grants is provided by the Programme and Fund Operators in the Beneficiary States, who are responsible for the completeness and accuracy of this information.