It is very normal for some turbines to operate while others remain idle. Differences of wind speed, directions, and intensity are common, leading to times where some turbines are active while others are not.
Some turbines may also remain idle due to utility curtailment. A utility may turn off some turbines within a wind farm when energy production from other producers, such as gas or solar, is greater than demand. Turbines are equipped with a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system that collects data, records activity, and allows for remote supervision and control of a wind farm.
With this, operators can easily manage power output in real-time and quickly respond to changes in demand. It keeps wind energy efficient and easily scalable.
