Assessing Wind Resources

This report is intended to guide prospective wind farm developers through the process of site assessment. It provides practical information on how to develop reliable estimates of the wind resource and electricity production at a given site. This includes information on how to measure wind speeds and direction; how to qualify your land’s potential for wind projects; how certain variables affect wind production costs and return on investment; what information is typically needed by banks and investors to finance a project; and where to look for additional information. While our examples are based on Minnesota, the principles discussed can be applied to any state, particularly other parts of the Midwest.