Analysis of Wind Speed Data and Wind Energy Potential for Seven Selected Locations in KSA

Abstract

Al-Baha region, located in Saudi Arabia, is one of the main tourism and leisure areas. The authority at Al-Baha Governorate plans to use clean and renewable energy in its tourism facilities. The importance of this study is to assess the possibility of building a wind farm in Al-Baha and to select the best site for this purpose. This paper presents an analysis of long-term wind data for the annual and monthly variability in Al-Baha region of southwestern Saudi Arabia. Al-Baha region has an area of 9921 square kilometers and is divided into seven regions (groups) based on their similar measurements and wind speed values. The analysis used 40 years of annual and monthly wind speed data between 1981 and 2020. The analysis showed that Group III has the highest mean wind speed values in the northeastern part of the Al-Baha region, ranging from 5.4 m/s to 5.9 m/s at 50 m above the surface. Group VI (5.1 - 5.6 m/s) east of the Al-Baha area recorded the second-highest mean wind speed, while group V southwest of the Al-Baha area recorded lower values. The maximum wind speeds observed in Group III in January, February, March, and July were 6 m/s or higher. A frequency analysis ensures that 79% of the year’s wind speeds exceed 4 m/s at 50 m above the surface of the Group III site. Wind power was considered for 17 wind turbines of different sizes. The Soyut Wind 500 machine was found to produce maximum energy of 1420 MWh/year. The highest performance values for the Soyut Wind 500 machine occurred in winter and summer, while the calculated capacity factor values at a hub height of 50 m were 41% and 32%, respectively. The assessment concluded that generating electricity from wind at G III in the northeast of the Al-Baha region is a good decision.