Method of evaluating wind flow based on conservation of momentum and variation in terrain

A method of predicting wind speed at one or more target sites comprising the steps of:

• measuring a wind speed and a direction at one or more meteorological towers;
• defining a location of said one or more target sites;
• calculating exposure at the one or more meteorological towers;
• selecting a wind flow model that relates wind speed to exposure, the wind flow model comprising different sets of coefficients for uphill flow, downhill flow, and wind flow speed-up over a hill;
• calculating exposure at said one or more target sites;
• determining if wind flow is uphill, downhill, or over a hill;
• selecting a set of model coefficients based on wind flow;
• and
• applying the wind flow model using the measured wind speed at the one or more meteorological towers and exposure at said one or more target sites to predict a wind speed for said one or more target sites.

A method of predicting wind speed at one or more target sites comprising the steps of:

• measuring a wind speed and a direction at one or more meteorological towers;
• calculating exposure at the one or more meteorological towers;
• calculating terrain complexity;
• selecting a wind flow model based on terrain complexity that relates wind speed to exposure the wind flow model comprising different sets of coefficients for uphill flow, downhill flow, and wind flow speed-up over a hill;
• calculating exposure at said one or more target sites;
• determining if wind flow is uphill, downhill, or over a hill;
• selecting a set of model coefficients based on wind flow;
• and
• applying the wind flow model using the measured wind speed at the one or more meteorological towers and exposure at said one or more target sites to predict a wind speed for said one or more target sites.