This part of IEC 61400 specifies a procedure for measuring the power performance characteristics of a single wind turbine and applies to the testing of wind turbines of all types and sizes connected to the electrical power network. In addition, this standard describes a procedure to be used to determine the power performance characteristics of small wind turbines (as defined in IEC 61400‑2) when connected to either the electric power network or a battery bank. The procedure can be used for performance evaluation of specific wind turbines at specific locations, but equally the methodology can be used to make generic comparisons between different wind turbine models or different wind turbine settings when site-specific conditions and data filtering influences are taken into account.

The wind turbine power performance characteristics are determined by the measured power curve and the estimated annual energy production (AEP). The measured power curve, defined as the relationship between the wind speed and the wind turbine power output, is determined by collecting simultaneous measurements of meteorological variables (including wind speed), as well as wind turbine signals (including power output) at the test site for a period that is long enough to establish a statistically significant database over a range of wind speeds and under varying wind and atmospheric conditions. The AEP is calculated by applying the measured power curve to reference wind speed frequency distributions, assuming 100 % availability.

This document describes a measurement methodology that requires the measured power curve and derived energy production figures to be supplemented by an assessment of uncertainty sources and their combined effects.