Assessment of the Wind Energy Potential along the Romanian Coastal Zone

Alina Girleanu,Eugen Rusu,Florin Onea

doi:10.3390/inventions6020041

Abstract

The present work aims to provide a comprehensive picture of the wind energy potential that characterizes the Romanian coastal environment using in situ measurements and reanalysis of wind data (ERA5) that cover a 42–year time interval (1979–2020). A total of 16 reference points (both land and offshore) equally distributed along the Romanian sector are used to evaluate the local wind energy potential, targeting in this way several sites where a renewable wind project could be established. Compared to the in situ measurements (land points), the ERA5 dataset underestimates the wind speed by at least 11.57%, this value increasing as we approach the coastline. From the analysis of the spatial maps, it is likely that the wind speed steadily increases from onshore to offshore, with a sharp variation near the coastline being reported. Furthermore, the assessment of some state-of-the-art offshore wind turbines was conducted using 12 systems defined by rated capacity ranging from 2 to 10 MW. Some scenarios were proposed to identify sustainable offshore wind projects to be implemented in the Romanian coastal zone based on these results.

Highlights

At the core of the energy transition towards renewables and planning for a post– COVID–19 economic rehabilitation, offshore wind resource is considered a possible pillar in reaching net–zero emissions of greenhouse gases by the end of 2050, a policy required by the European Green Deal
Since the literature review concentrating on the Black Sea coastal area is considerably restrained, the purpose of this work is to identify the best performances of various wind turbines that might become operational in the Romanian coastal environment
It is considered that the western side of the Black Sea is defined by more abundant wind resources, with 8 m/s representing the mean wind speed value recorded during the winter season [13]

Summary

Introduction

At the core of the energy transition towards renewables and planning for a post– COVID–19 economic rehabilitation, offshore wind resource is considered a possible pillar in reaching net–zero emissions of greenhouse gases by the end of 2050, a policy required by the European Green Deal. At the European level, offshore wind projects are already considered a competitive sector. Offshore wind represents nowadays a very cost-effective alternative for power generation, taking into consideration the fact that the Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) decreased from an average of 0.13 USD/kWh in 2018 to an average between 0.05–0.09 USD/kWh by 2030 and 0.03–0.07 USD/kWh by 2050 [2], falling in the low range of costs for fossil fuels and becoming more affordable than nuclear power. For the time being, investing in onshore wind projects seems to be more economically viable, even though offshore designs generate more electricity [3]

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Conclusion