WIND RESOURCE ASSESSMENT IN SOUTHERN ALBANIA: DATA COMPARISONS FROM THE BALKAN AND NEW EUROPEAN WIND ATLASES

Abstract

This article describes a new method to more accurately evaluate the wind potential of 5 areas of interest in southern Albania. Using the WAsP simulation program, the authors were able to compare the wind data from the Balkan Wind Atlas (BWA) and the New European Wind Atlas (NEWA) to real wind measurements in Mamaj, Tepelenë, and showed that NEWA is closer to real wind conditions in Albania than BWA. Furthermore, by analyzing wind speed, power density and wind direction, the authors illustrate BWA and NEWA match closely in the five areas of interest in Albania, although BWA tends to overestimate wind potential more. The wind power class was evaluated and four from the five areas of interest were deemed appropriate for establishing wind farms. The authors analyzed eight different wind turbine types and identified the wind turbine with the highest capacity factor for the region to be SG 2.1-114 wind turbine. The potential electricity production from the proposed wind farms was evaluated using the RETScreen Expert program. This research allows for experts to more confidently use wind atlas data to evaluate wind potential in the region of Southern Albania. Finally, these results confirm the electricity potential from building wind farms in the areas of interest, which will contribute to the fulfillment of energy demand in the country and reduce imports in the energy sector.