High Wind Potential Research Articles

High-resolution assessment of wind energy potential in the Hami region of Northwestern China

Abstract Wind energy plays a pivotal role in the global effort to mitigate climate change, with China emerging as a leader in renewable energy adoption. The Hami region in northwestern China stands out as a crucial area for wind power development, given its substantial wind resources and strategic importance in China’s energy landscape. However, existing studies on wind energy potential vary widely and involve large uncertainties due to sparse measurements and coarse resolution, highlighting the need for more precise assessments to guide policy decisions and optimize energy utilization. This study leverages high-resolution ERA5 reanalysis data and advanced wind turbine technology to assess wind energy potential in the Hami region, taking into account factors including wind speed patterns, turbine heights, and geographical constraints. The comparison with in-situ data demonstrated that high-resolution ERA5 reanalyzed wind speeds enable to capture multi-year wind speed variations in this region. We find substantial potential for wind energy in Hami, with energy densities exceeding 200 W m−2 in the high-potential wind zones. Importantly, this study identifies a new high-potential area in eastern Hami, termed the East Wind Zone. Our high-resolution assessment of wind energy potential at different heights over the past two decades reveals long-term trends and seasonal variations. Increasing the hub height from 95 m to 140 m raises the average wind power generation potential across Hami by 31.3 GWh yr−1. Our findings highlight the importance of strategic wind farm placement to maximize renewable energy output and provide insights for policy and industry, supporting China’s renewable energy goals.

Murmansk Marine Biological Institute of Kola Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences

The authors assess the wind potential indicators and the scale of its use for power supply of hard-to-reach off-grid settlements in the eastern Russian Arctic. The primary challenge facing autonomous power plants is fuel delivery due to long distances and underdeveloped transport infrastructure. The use of wind power plants will reduce fuel consumption and cut the cost of energy production. The researchers use ground-based measurement data and the characteristics of existing autonomous power plants as initial data when assessing the rational capacity of wind power plants. They employ authoring research methods. Via Wind-MCA program they estimate wind potential indicators: average wind speed, capacity factor, and coefficient of wind speed variation. The research results are presented in cartographic form. The rational capacities of wind power plants as part of hybrid energy systems are determined using the generalized dependencies method based on the maximum load of a populated area and calculated wind potential indicators, taking into account the characteristic intra-annual distribution of wind speeds. The best conditions for the development of wind energy are observed on the coast of the Arctic seas in the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Chukot Autonomous Area. The rational capacity of wind power plants in zones of high wind potential in hard-to-reach areas of eastern Russian Arctic is estimated at 12,5 MW.

Photovoltaic penetration potential in the Greek island of Ikaria

The operation of Distribution Networks (DNs) has been affected by the ongoing energy transition, gradually incorporating more Distributed Energy Resources (DERs), mainly Renewable Energy Sources (RES), as well as Energy Storage Systems (ESS) sustainably enhancing DN’s flexibility. In the case of the non-interconnected island of Ikaria, Greece, with high solar and wind potential, the DN includes conventional generators, Photovoltaic systems (PVs), wind farms and a hydro-pumped ESS. Scope of this study is to assess the possible impact of the PVs expansion considering either: i) fixed, ii) single-axis or iii) dual-axis tracking panels. For this purpose, CERTH’s in-house INTEMA.grid platform is used. Tracking mechanism’s effectiveness is studied considering that the expansion doubles or triples the rated power of the existing, fixed 0.4 MW PVs, following the directions of the Distribution System Operator (DSO). Additionally, a monthly analysis is presented, because Ikaria is an island with extremely higher load during summer months due to tourism. According to the results, if the current PV capacity is doubled or tripled, a dual-axis expansion yields 16.0% or 21.3% yearly production increase compared to fixed panels, respectively, with the single-axis effect though being much higher (14% or 18.7%, respectively) than the incremental effect of the second axis (further comparative 1.8% or 2.3%, respectively). The effectiveness of tracking mechanisms is highlighted during summer months and particularly early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Finally, environmental and economic indicators for the proposed installations are assessed.

Potential for spatial coexistence of a transboundary migratory species and wind energy development

Global expansion in wind energy development is a notable achievement of the international community’s effort to reduce carbon emissions during energy production. However, the increasing number of wind turbines have unintended consequences for migratory birds and bats. Wind turbine curtailment and other mitigation strategies can reduce fatalities, but improved spatial and temporal data are needed to identify the most effective way for wind energy development and volant migratory species to coexist. Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis mexicana) account for a large proportion of known bat fatalities at wind facilities in the southwestern US. We examined the geographic concordance between existing wind energy generation facilities, areas of high wind potential amenable for future deployment of wind facilities, and seasonally suitable habitat for these bats. We used ecological niche modeling to determine species distribution during each of 4 seasons. We used a multi-criteria GIS-based approach to produce a wind turbine siting suitability map. We identified seasonal locations with highest and lowest potential for the species’ probability of occurrence, providing a potential explanation for the higher observed fatalities during fall migration. Thirty percent of 33,606 wind turbines within the southwestern US occurred in highly suitable areas for Mexican free-tailed bats, primarily in west Texas. There is also broad spatial overlap between areas of high wind potential and areas of suitable habitat for Mexican free-tailed bats. Because of this high degree of overlap, our results indicate that post-construction strategies, such as curtailing the timing of operations and deterrents, would be more effective for bat conservation than strategic siting of new wind energy installations.

A new approach to wind farm stabilization and peak electricity support using fuel cells: Case study in Swedish cities

The present article introduces and investigates a new approach for shaving the peak electricity demand and mitigating energy instability. At the heart of this concept is a smart integration for efficient hydrogen production/storage/usage to minimize energy costs and maximize the renewable penetration in the local electricity grid. The system is driven by a wind farm integrated with proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers and reverse osmosis desalination units for efficient electricity, hydrogen, and freshwater production. It also combines with PEM fuel cells equipped with a hydrogen tank to meet the demand constantly when renewable electricity is unavailable or unstable. The system's practicality is assessed and compared for various Swedish cities with high wind potential from thermodynamic, economic, and environmental aspects to see where it works effectively. The comparative results of various scenarios show that integrating 32 wind turbines, 2 electrolyzers, and 2 reverse osmosis units, with 25% of electricity going to electrolyzers, 20% to reverse osmosis, and 55% to the grid, is the most optimal configuration/allocation. Optimal locations for the power plant are identified in Visby, Halmstad, and Lund due to favorable wind conditions. Setting up the system in Visby could prevent 1878.2 tonnes of CO2 emissions, generate 93,910 MWh of electricity annually, and create 213 ha of green space. The proposed system in Visby could boast the biggest electricity generation capacity, reaching 11,263 MWh, sufficient to power 938 households. Scaling this model to 12 cities in Sweden could provide the electricity needs of 4500 households, demonstrating the potential for widespread impact.

Optimization and Evaluation of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model for Wind Energy Resource Assessment and Mapping in Iran

This study aims to optimize the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model regarding the choice of the best planetary boundary layer (PBL) physical scheme and to evaluate the model’s performance for wind energy assessment and mapping over the Iranian territory. In this initiative, five PBL and surface layer parameterization schemes were tested, and their performance was evaluated via comparison with observational wind data. The study used two-way nesting domains with spatial resolutions of 15 km and 5 km to represent atmospheric circulation patterns affecting the study area. Additionally, a seventeen-year simulation (2004–2020) was conducted, producing wind datasets for the entire Iranian territory. The accuracy of the WRF model was assessed by comparing its results with observations from multiple sites and with the high-resolution Global Wind Atlas. Statistical parameters and wind power density were calculated from the simulated data and compared with observations to evaluate wind energy potential at specific sites. The model’s performance was sensitive to the horizontal resolution of the terrain data, with weaker simulations for wind speeds below 3 m/s and above 10 m/s. The results confirm that the WRF model provides reliable wind speed data for realistic wind energy assessment studies in Iran. The model-generated wind resource map identifies areas with high wind (wind speed > 5.6 m/s) potential that are currently without wind farms or Aeolic parks for exploitation of the wind energy potential. The Sistan Basin in eastern Iran was identified as the area with the highest wind power density, while areas west of the Zagros Mountains and in southwest Iran showed high aeolian potential during summer. A novelty of this research is the application of the WRF model in an area characterized by high topographical complexities and specific geographical features. The results provide practical solutions and valuable insights for industry stakeholders, facilitating informed decision making, reducing uncertainties, and promoting the effective utilization of wind energy resources in the region.

Estimation of Weibull Parameters for Wind Energy Application in Al Shihabi City

Wind energy is environmentally friendly and low-cost energy compared to other renewable energy technologies and is easily exploited by different users. Al-Shihabi ia a city with high potential wind resources. The aim of the research is to assess the mean winds and Weibull parameters such as shape parameter and scale parameter. The assessment helps in understanding the wind behavior for the application of the wind energy project. Field data for year 2019 were collected at an interval of 10 minutes at altitudes of 50 and 100 meters. Then the data was analyzed using the statistical Weibull distribution function. The annual average of monthly means at 50 m and 100 m heights are 5.04 m/s and 5.56 m/s, respectively. While the annual average of monthly maximum winds at 50 m and 100 m heights were 13.65 m/s and 15.05 m/s. The larger values were in summer months. The mean wind speed and maximum wind speed values suggest that Al-Shihabi City is a promising site to install a wind farm. Estimating Weibull distribution parameters showed for 50 m and 100 heights that the annual average of monthly values of shape parameter and scale parameter were 5.6840, and 2.4035, respectively. At 100 m height, It was found that the annual average of monthly values of shape parameter, scale parameter were 6.2634 and 2.3215, respectively. It can also be noted that the values of parameters are higher in summer than in winter. It was found that the Weibull distribution is applicable to describe the probability density of wind speed.

Energetic Complementarity Solar PV and Wind Power Based on Satellite Data

With the current global energy crisis renewable energy integration is expected to grow drastically in the near future. However, integrating high amount of renewables to the grid is subjected to various operational challenges. One solution for this challenge is looking for complementing intermittent renewable resources. In this paper solar PV and wind power complementarity analysis was carried out over the three topographic regions of Eritrea based on monthly satellite-based power generation data. Three different approaches (Pearson correlation coefficient, graphical and dimensionless index) were employed to investigate the complementarity of PV and wind power in the chosen sites. The analysis results showed that the southern coastal and central highlands sites have low complementarity behaviour. The solar PV and wind power synergy was however, found to be the maximum in the northern highlands and western lowlands sites of the country. It is interesting to find out that the high wind potential sites in southern coastal region are positively correlated to solar availability with peaks in winter and low in summer with no complementarity pattern.

Using a hybrid approach for wind power forecasting in Northwestern Mexico

Wind energy is an important renewable source that has been considerably developed recently. In order to obtain successful 24-h lead-time wind power forecasts for operational and commercial uses, a combination of physical and statistical models is desirable. In this paper, a hybrid methodology that employs a numerical weather prediction model (Weather Research and Forecasting) and a neural network (NN) algorithm is proposed and assessed. The methodology is applied to a wind farm in northwestern Mexico, a region with high wind potential where complex geography adds large uncertainty to wind energy forecasts. The energy forecasts are then evaluated against actual on-site power generation over one year and compared with two reference models: decision trees (DT) and support vector regression (SVR). The proposed method exhibits a better performance with respect to the reference methods, showing an hourly normalized mean absolute percentage error of 6.97%, which represents 6 and 13 percentage points less error in wind power forecasts than with DT and SVR methods, respectively. Under strong synoptic forcing, the NN wind power forecast is not very accurate, and novel approaches such as hierarchical algorithms should be employed instead. Overall, the proposed model is capable of producing high-quality wind power forecasts for most weather conditions prevailing in this region and demonstrates a good performance with respect to similar models for medium-term wind power forecasts.

Monitoring and Mapping Urban Sprawl Over Heritage Hotspots Using Copernicus Land Monitoring Services: The case of periurban large-scale, wind-powered water extraction mills in Palma (Mallorca)

Among the varied group of human constructions of heritage interest are the old wind-powered water extraction mills that sometimes form large-scale sets in rural areas with high wind potential. On the Mediterranean island of Mallorca (Spain), up to 2,400 windmills dating from the 19th and early 20th centuries have been counted. The areas in which they are located are considered heritage ‘hotspots’, i.e., areas prone to specific problems, such as the progressive abandonment of ethnological heritage resulting from urban sprawl over areas with an agricultural orientation. This article aims to monitor urban sprawl in the municipality of Palma, to quantify and map its impact on a set of windmills located mainly in the plain of Sant Jordi, to the east of the city. The study has been carried out using methodologies and analysis techniques from the Copernicus Land Monitoring Service’s Urban Atlas and Imperviousness Density products. The study shows that areas with agricultural land uses have been progressively transformed into urbanised ones. This transformation has impacted, above all, windmills located in peri-urban areas adjacent to the city. The analysis aims to show the analytical possibilities of Copernicus services and products, and their applicability in the planning and management of peri-urban agro-industrial heritage.

Temporal assessment of wind energy resource in algerian highlands regions

The aim of this paper is to investigate the monthly, seasonal and annual variation of the wind resource in term of wind energy potential using the wind speed data collected in the last decade for the meteorological stations at four locations situated in Algerian highlands from East to West boundaries. After the study of temporal Weibull parameters, the vertical extrapolation of Weibull parameters and mean wind speed at a height of 50 m was made and the analysis of annual energy efficiency, seasonal and monthly was made for wind energy conversion systems of 600 kW rated capacity. The results show that M’Sila has the highest wind potential among the studied sites with the annual mean wind speed V = 4 m/s and the annual wind energy production equal to 2.4GWh/year, while Kasr Chellala gives a good potential too but affected by an important rate of zero wind frequency. The study gives the regions situated in Algerian highland with an average wind potential, where the better wind energy potential is given in coldest months.

The Potential of Flutter-Based Windbelt for Energy Generation in Low-Wind-Speed Regions: A Case Study in Malaysia

The need to reduce carbon emissions from conventional electricity generation has led to research into alternative renewable energy solutions, including wind energy. However, conventional wind turbines are not practical in Malaysia due to their size, cost and low wind speeds. Therefore, recent research has focused on the development of small wind energy generation systems, such as wind-induced vibratory devices, for small-scale power generation. This study aims to enhance the design parameters of a flutter-based windbelt with an electromagnetic conversion mechanism specifically tailored to optimise the use of low wind speeds in Malaysia. Various factors such as wind speed, wind direction, magnet position, magnet size and device length were studied to understand their influence on energy generation. The study conducted experiments in controlled and uncontrolled environments, with the latter chosen in a location known for its high wind potential. Five experiments were conducted and measurements were taken three times to ensure accuracy of the data. The results showed that wind speed and magnet size were positively correlated with voltage generation, while wind direction and magnet coil position had more complex relationships. These results contribute to a better understanding of windbelt performance and identify opportunities to optimise windbelt design and placement. Future research could further investigate factors such as turbulence and find ways to integrate the wind belt into more significant devices.

A Magnus Wind Turbine Mathematical Model

Wind power units using the Magnus effect are an alternative to conventional blade units in regions having a too low or a high wind potential. A feature of their design is the use of rotating cylinders for producing torque on the wind wheel shaft. The aim of the study was to develop a mathematical model of such unit. Three models of the wind energy utilization coefficient were considered: analytical, regression and correlation. The models were subjected to an analysis, based on which conclusions about their applicability limits were drawn, and their main advantages and disadvantages were highlighted. An alternative simulation aerodynamic model was synthesized using the computational aerodynamics method. The developed model was verified by comparing the unit power output estimated by the simulation model with experimental data obtained on a real unit in the course of field tests. The study results have shown that the developed model based on computational aerodynamics features high accuracy and can be used to simulate a wind power unit based on the Magnus effect under variable wind conditions. In the future, the presented model can be used in the development of algorithms for detecting the maximum power point for this type of wind power units.

Wind resource assessment and influence of atmospheric stability on wind farm design using Computational Fluid Dynamics in the Andes Mountains, Ecuador

In recent years, research has revealed that hydropower designs in Ecuador have not adequately considered sensitivity to climate change. In addition, variations in rainfall patterns cause a drought from July to October. Therefore, it would decrease the flow of the rivers that feed the dams for hydroelectric generation, which would result in a significant reduction of its generating capacity.To prevent this inconvenience from occurring, it is necessary to promote the use of wind energy to diversify the Ecuadorian energy matrix. This matrix is made up of 70% hydropower and 0.26% wind power. Moreover, the Ecuadorian Andes has significant untapped wind potential due to their complex topography. Currently, there are no detailed studies on wind potential or wind energy prediction in the Andes. As a result, wind resource characterization is necessary. In order to address the challenges mentioned above, promote wind energy development, assess wind potential, and diminish the need for thermal generators. This article describes a methodology for wind resource characterization over complex terrain using measured data from two meteorological towers installed in the mountainous zone of study and wind characteristics modeling through the Ansys Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software for the positioning of 11 Goldwind 70/1500 kW wind turbines to optimize the Annual Energy Production (AEP) of a hypothetical wind farm.The study’s main findings indicate that the wind passing between two volcanoes has a high wind potential. This potential is dependent on meteorological variables, orography, and the accelerating effect of wind speed. These favorable conditions make it possible to install a wind farm in this area with 11 high-power wind turbines. Furthermore, the most suitable turbulence model for wind farm design using Ansys Fluent CFD is the K-epsilon which can model with high precision the profile of wind characteristics over a simulated mountain under the influence of atmospheric stability on the state of the air mass to assist in the decision-making process when selecting the best wind farm locations over complex terrain in the Ecuadorian Andes.

Türkiye's Offshore Hybrid Energy Potential and Cost Estimation in the Eastern Mediterranean

The major target of this study is to determine the hybrid energy potential, as a renewable energy source, in the Eastern Mediterranean region. The most important motivation of this study is that the Eastern Mediterranean zone has a significant hydrocarbon potential in addition to its geopolitical value. Hence, the hydrocarbon platforms in the region constitute the main framework of this novel research. Wind, solar and wave energy potentials and cost estimation of 6 selected locations in the Eastern Mediterranean are analyzed. The analysis is based on the needs of the platforms, i.e. if the energy is produced more than the needs of the platforms, the hydrogen is produced by electrolysis. The cost estimation of the system is carried out by assuming not only the situation of the produced hydrogen but also the transportation of the hydrogen to the mainland. According the results of the analyzes, it has been shown that the Eastern Mediterranean has a very high wind, solar, and wave energy potential due to the fact that Crete and Rhodes Islands form a natural strait. As a conclusion different transmission scenarios of the hydrogen to the mainland shows that the energy required by the platforms can be provided by renewable energy sources, regardless of their power.

Ресурсы ветра западного сектора Арктической зоны Российской Федерации и возможные направления их использования

The authors consider the potential and technical resources of wind energy in the Western sector of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation. They have stated that increased wind speeds take place in the Arctic coastal areas. Their average annual values ​​at a height of 10 m reach 6—8 m/s. The strongest winds are observed in winter. It is during this period that the demand for heat and electricity from all categories of consumers is maximum, which is a significant prerequisite for the use of wind energy. On the example of the Murmansk region, the authors show the prospects for the use of wind-driven power plants (WPPs) for the production of electricity as part of the Kola electric power system, where there are 17 hydroelectric power plants that can compensate for the variability in the supply of wind energy. Promising is the joint work of WPPs with diesel power plants and boiler plants. The positive effect of such work is expressed in saving the imported fuel and reducing harmful emissions into the environment. The authors propose promising sites for the construction of energy complexes focused on the production of environmentally friendly hydrogen through the use of high-potential wind resources.

Assessment of the wind power plants role in CO2 emissions reducing and energy supply in the regions of Russia

The article contains an analysis of the share of mayor wind power plants in regional energy mixes and evaluation of their contribution to CO2 emission reducing, basing on the data for wind capacities construction and launch. The estimations showed that wind plants in Republic of Kalmykia could cover more than 94% of industrial and household electricity demand. Forecast evaluations for the wind plants planned to be put into operation until 2024 demonstrate a high wind potential for satisfaction of energy demand in Republics of Kalmykia and Adygeya as well as in Ulyanovsk and Astrakhan regions. The decrease in CO2 emissions in the regions of Russia was estimated by 2024 due to the absence of emissions at wind farms in the amount of 4.5 million tons per year.

Potential assessment of renewable energy resources and their power plant capacities in Iran

Today, most developed and developing countries utilize renewable energy to meet their needs. The use of renewable energy prevents environmental pollution. A concern of the governments is to deal with environmental pollution. Iran as a major oil-producing country has increasingly paid attention to non-fossil energy resources, in particular renewable energy sources for its longer-term energy plans. In this paper, the types of renewable energy used in electricity generation in Iran have been studied. Studies show that during the last 20 years, 1.5% of the amount of electricity produced in Iran is supplied by renewable energy. Iran also has a much greater potential for utilizing renewable energy. By 2020, Iran has a potential of 42000 MW use of renewable energies. However, the capacity of renewable power stations constructed in Iran is 800 MW. Different regions of Iran have high wind, solar and geothermal energy potential, which has not been used enough to meet electricity needs.

Evaluation of levelized cost of hydrogen produced by wind electrolysis: Argentine and Italian production scenarios

Green hydrogen will play a key role in the future energy transition to achieve the main decarbonization goals. However, many large economies have limited renewable energy generation capacity, which leads to the identification of strategic sites for the global export of hydrogen. The aim of this work is to investigate the techno-economic feasibility of green hydrogen production in Argentine Patagonia with subsequent ship transport to Italy. The study includes the entire supply chain, from the production of hydrogen with renewable energy sources to its final use as a fuel for mobility in Italy. Different scenarios have been identified and compared, considering that the hydrogen production can take place directly in Italy or in Patagonia, followed by a transport to Italy. It was assumed that hydrogen is produced through PEM electrolyzers powered by wind energy. Various hydrogen transport and storage methods were analyzed to assess which is the most cost-effective solution. In addition, the influence of wind capacity factor and electricity cost on the levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) was analyzed to provide an in-depth comparative assessment of the two production scenarios. Even considering the additional transport costs from Argentina to Italy, the scenario with hydrogen production in Patagonia was found to be more convenient than the production in Italy. This is due to the high wind potential in Patagonia, where the average wind capacity factor is about 50% compared to 25% in Italy. The minimum LCOH was obtained considering the storage and transport of hydrogen by means of liquid organic hydrogen carriers, with a final cost of 8.60 €/kgH2 and 11.17 €/kgH2 for the Argentine and Italian production scenarios, respectively. The results of the complete supply chains were analyzed step by step, and the reasons behind the most competitive option elucidated in detail.

Power system static and dynamic security studies for the 1st phase of Crete Island Interconnection

The island of Crete is currently served by an autonomous electrical system being fed by oil-fired (Heavy fuel or light Diesel oil) thermal power plants and renewables (wind and PVs). The peak load and annual electric energy consumption are approximately 600 MW and 3 TWh respectively; wind and photovoltaic parks contribute approximately 20% of the electricity needs of the island. Due to the expensive fuel used, the Cretan power system has very high electric energy generation cost compared to the Greek mainland. On the other side the limited size of the system poses severe limitations to the penetration of renewable energy sources, not allowing to further exploit the high wind and solar potential of the island. According to the Ten Year Network Development Plan (TYNDP) of the Greek TSO (Independent Power Transmission Operator S.A. IPTO S.A.), the interconnection of Crete to the mainland Transmission System of Greece will be realized through two links: A 150 kV HVAC link between the Peloponnese and the Crete (Phase I) and a HVDC link connecting the metropolitan area of Athens with Crete (Phase II). The total length of submarine and underground cable of the HVAC link will be approximately 174km; it is at the limits of the AC technology and the longest and deepest worldwide at 150 kV level. A number of studies have been conducted by a joint group of IPTO and Hellenic Electricity Distribution Network Operator (HEDNO) for the design of this interconnection. This paper presents briefly the power system static and dynamic studies conducted for the design of the AC link and its operation. Firstly, the paper presents the main results of the static security study regarding the calculation of the maximum power transfer capability of the link and the selection of the reactive power compensation scheme of the cable. Results from dynamic security analysis studies are also presented. The small-signal stability analysis concludes that a new (intra-area) electromechanical oscillation is introduced to the National System after the interconnection. The damping of the electromechanical oscillations is sufficient; however the operation of power system stabilizers at power plants located both at the mainland and at Crete power system can increase significantly the damping of important oscillation modes. Finally with respect to the risk of loss of synchronism after a significant disturbance in the system of Crete, such as a three-phase fault (“transient stability”)- enough safety margin is estimated by means of Critical Clearing Time calculations.