Abstract
We compare the available wind resources for conventional wind turbines and for airborne wind energy systems. Accessing higher altitudes and continuously adjusting the harvesting operation to the wind resource substantially increases the potential energy yield. The study is based on the ERA5 reanalysis data which covers a period of 7 years with hourly estimates at a surface resolution of 31 × 31 km and a vertical resolution of 137 barometric altitude levels. We present detailed wind statistics for a location in the English Channel and then expand the analysis to a surface grid of Western and Central Europe with a resolution of 110 × 110 km. Over the land mass and coastal areas of Europe we find that compared to a fixed harvesting height at the approximate hub height of wind turbines, the wind power density which is available for 95% of the time increases by a factor of two.
Highlights
Previous resource assessments have shown that the wind energy available in the atmosphere could theoretically power the world [1]
The wind resource data in the ERA5 data is specified for barometric altitude levels
The analysis is focused on the paradigm of airborne wind energy (AWE): adjusting the harvesting operation up to a predefined ceiling height and allowing access to higher altitudes where winds are generally stronger and more persistent
Summary
Previous resource assessments have shown that the wind energy available in the atmosphere could theoretically power the world [1]. Adams and Keith [4] use a mesoscale model and predict that the energy potential is significantly lower, at 20 TW, a result that is roughly confirmed by Miller et al [5]. Emeis [6] estimates the total extractable wind power potential to be about 61 TW. Dupont et al [7] review these estimates and conclude that the global wind energy potential is substantially lower than previously established when both physical limits and a high cut-off value for the energy returned on energy invested (EROI > 10) is applied
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