Objective and algorithm considerations when optimizing the number and placement of turbines in a wind power plant

Abstract. Optimizing turbine layout is a challenging problem that has been extensively researched in the literature. However, optimizing number of turbines within given boundary not studied as and difficult because it introduces discrete design variables discontinuous space. An essential step performing wind power plant optimization to define objective function, or value, used express what valuable developer, such annual energy production, cost energy, profit. In this paper, we demonstrate importance selecting appropriate function when land-constrained site. We optimized several different plants with resources sizes. Results show optimal varies drastically depending on function. For simple, one-dimensional, land-based scenario, found for minimal produced just 72 % profit compared maximum profit, which corresponded loss about USD 2 million each year. This paper also compares performance algorithms, including novel repeated-sweep algorithm developed. depended well