Conclusions
The paper presents state-of-the-art artificial neural networks (ANN) applied to wind energy systems. The complexity of these systems is rising, and the methods and algorithms to ensure their efficiency are becoming more robust due to the volume of data and diversity of variables. The main ANN based models applied in wind energy systems and their characteristics have been explained in this paper. An extensive compilation of methods, algorithms and models has been developed. These methods have been grouped into four major categories. Some conclusions have been extracted concerning each category:
- Forecasting and predictions: Besides the list of the main references, a comparison of the errors in different forecasting models has been carried out. Neural networks are proved to be more efficient for short-term wind speed prediction, and the hybrid ANN based method provides better results for short term predictions than other conventional techniques.
- Design optimization: ANN based models for design optimization have been discussed. These models not only focus on wind turbines, but also on wind farms characteristics. In this field, the most employed methods are adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference systems and Back-propagation neural networks, since high accuracy is required and the computational time is not a determinant factor.