High Wind Energy Potential Research Articles

Evaluation of electricity generation and energy cost of wind energy conversion systems (WECSs) in Central Turkey

The negative effects of non-renewable fossil fuels have forced scientists to draw attention to clean energy sources which are both environmentally more suitable and renewable. Although Turkey enjoys fairly high wind energy potential, an investigation and exploitation of this source is still below the desired level. In this study which is a preliminary study on wind energy cost in Central Anatolian-Turkey, the wind energy production using time-series approach and the economic evaluation of various wind energy conversion systems (WECSs) enjoying the 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 30, 50, 100 and 150 kW rated power size using the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) method for the seven different locations in Central Turkey were estimated. In addition, effects of escalation ratio of operation and maintenance cost and annual mean speed on LCOE are taken into account. The wind speed data for a period between 2000 and 2006 years were taken from Turkish State Meteorological Service (TSMS). According to the result of the calculations, it is shown that the WECS of capacity 150 kW produce the energy output 120,978 kWh per year in the Case-A (Pinarbasi) for hub height 30 m and also the LCOE varies in the range of 0.29–30.0 $/kWh for all WECS considered.

Regional Wind Energy Characteristics for Istanbul, Turkey

In this study, wind energy for Istanbul, which is the biggest city of Turkey both in terms of population density and industrialization was analyzed. Meteorological data of 7 stations in Istanbul is used in this study. Daily, monthly, and annual wind speed values and frequency distributions show that Kumköy and Şile stations have higher wind energy potential than other stations. Frequencies of wind speeds higher than 5 ms−1 are in turn 55.2% and 53.2% for both stations. Annual energy value that can be generated with a Nordex N60 wind turbine was calculated as 1,207 MWh in Kumköy, 955 MWh in Şile, 535, 454, 221, 519, and 113 MWh in turn in Göztepe, Kireçburnu, Bahçeköy, Florya, and Kartal. It was determined that wind blows dominantly from the geographical directions between northwest and northeast and from south-southwest throughout Istanbul.

Investigation of wind characteristics and wind energy potential in Kirklareli, Turkey

Utilization of wind energy as an energy source has been growing rapidly in the whole world due to environmental pollution, consumption of the limited fossil fuels and global warming. Although Turkey has fairly high wind energy potential, exploitation of the wind energy is still in the crawling level. In the current study, wind characteristics and wind energy potential of Kırklareli province in the Marmara Region, Turkey were analyzed taking into account the wind data measured as hourly time series. The wind data used in the study were taken from Electrical Power Resources Survey and Development Administration (EIEI) for the year 2004. The measured wind data were processed as annual, seasonal and monthly. Weibull and Rayleigh probability density functions of the location are calculated in the light of observed data and Weibull shape parameter k and scale parameter c are found as 1.75 and 5.25 m/s for the year 2004. According to the power calculations done for the site, annual mean power density based on Weibull function is 138.85 W/m 2. The results indicate that investigated site has fairly wind energy potential for the utilization.

Wind energy resource assessment for five locations in Saudi Arabia

The analysis of recently collected wind data at five sites in Saudi Arabia namely, Dhulum, Arar, Yanbu, Gassim and Dhahran is presented. The five sites represent different geographically and climatologically conditions. The data collected over a period spanned between 1995 and 2002 with different collection periods for each site. Daily, monthly and frequency profiles of the wind speed at the sites showed that Dhulum and Arar sites have higher wind energy potential with annual wind speed average of 5.7 and 5.4 m/s and speeds higher than 5 m/s for 60 and 47% of the time, respectively. The two sites are candidates for remote area wind energy applications. The costal site's, i.e. Yanbu and Dhahran wind speed data indicated that the two sites have lower annual wind speed averages and wind blows at speed higher than 5 m/s during afternoon hours. That makes the two sites candidates for grid connected wind systems for electrical load peak shaving. The data of Gassim site showed that the site has the lowest wind energy potential compared to the others. The annual energy produced by a Nordex N43 wind machine is estimated to be 1080, 990, 730, 454 and 833 MWh for Dhulum, Arar, Yanbu, Gassim and Dhahran, respectively. The analysis showed that the estimated annual energy produced by the machine based on 10 min averaged data is 2.5% higher than the estimated energy based on 30 min averaged data.

An investigation of wind characteristics on the campus of Izmir Institute of Technology, Turkey

The European Wind Atlas shows a very high wind energy capacity over the Aegean Sea and its coastal regions. Therefore, the western region of Turkey, which has a long coast along the Aegean Sea, appears to have high potential of wind energy. As a result of this fact, several studies have been performed to estimate the wind potential, especially, in western Turkey. However, due to the absence of a reliable and accurate Wind Atlas of Turkey, further studies on the assessment of wind energy in Turkey are necessary. In this study, the characteristics of wind on the campus of Izmir Institute of Technology, located in Cesme peninsula which has long coastline along the Aegean Sea, were studied over a period of one year. Measured data set and its evaluation showed that Izmir Institute of Technology campus area has a considerable wind energy potential. The study presented here is an attempt to promote wind energy in Turkey and to bridge the gap in order to create prospective Turkish Wind Atlas.

Potencial eólico na direção predominante do vento no Nordeste brasileiro

Neste trabalho, foram utilizados dados horários de velocidade e direção do vento, provenientes de registros de anemógrafo Universal Fuess, a 10 m de altura, de 77 estações climatológicas pertencentes ao Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia (INMET), no período de janeiro de 1977 a dezembro de 1981. O objetivo da pesquisa foi a determinação da potência eólica média horária da direção predominante do vento em todas as estações selecionadas. Para tanto, identificou-se a direção predominante do vento de cada localidade e se estimaram os parâmetros da distribuição de Weibull, através dos quais se calculou a potência eólica média horária. Em função dos resultados apresentados neste trabalho, constatou-se que a direção predominante do vento no Nordeste do Brasil é de Leste, com flutuações para Sudeste e Nordeste. O ajuste do Método dos Momentos evidenciou-se melhor que o dos Mínimos Quadrados. Os Estados do Maranhão e Rio Grande do Norte apresentaram, respectivamente, o menor e maior potencial eólico. As estações de Alto Parnaíba, MA, e Acaraú, CE, apresentaram, mensalmente, a menor (0,022 W m-2) e a maior (138,302 W m-2) potência eólica, respectivamente.

The status of wind energy development in Tanzania

Wind energy development in Tanzania started about 3 decades ago when some windmills were installed at several locations in the country to pump water for human and animal consumption and in a few cases for irrigation. There were some attempts to manufacture the windmills locally but these were never successful. In 1980 there were some attempts to generate electricity from wind but these also were unsuccessful.The analysed wind speed data revealed that the wind energy potential in Tanzania is fairly high. The analysis also showed that the windy season coincides with the dry season. The available wind energy at one prospective site called if harvested for the purpose of electricity generation could help to alleviate the shortage of hydroelectricity that prevails during the dry season. Wind energy experts are involved in analysing the available wind speed data and also measuring wind speed in small intervals of time at the sites that are believed to have high wind energy potential. It is also planned to draw a wind map for Tanzania.

Wind energy mapping using synthetic aperture radar

Offshore and coastal wind farms are becoming important sources of renewable energy. The energy production of a wind farm is closely connected to its location, and the expected outcome is traditionally calculated from at least 1 year of accurate wind measurements. Satellite synthetic aperture radar (SAR) wind mapping may become a useful tool in the process of selecting the optimal site for these measurements and may therefore increase the cost-effectiveness when planning wind farms. The study described in this paper is based on 28 SAR scenes from the Norwegian west coast near the town of Bergen. The wind fields retrieved from these images have been compared with in situ wind data from the Hellisøy lighthouse and modelled wind from the European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts. Based on long-term wind information from the lighthouse, the SAR scenes that show the most representative wind conditions for the site were chosen for the study. The data give an overview of the spatial distribution of the wind field in this coastal region. According to the SAR data, the area with the highest wind energy potential lies in the area north of Hellisøy in the mouth of Sognefjord, as this area is open to most wind directions.

Wind energy surveying and technoeconomic assessment of identifiable WEC system installations

There are several areas with high wind energy potential in Greece. The Thrace region is one of the least explored areas concerning this wind potential. This paper presents the results of a preliminary evaluation of the Eastern Macedonia — Thrace/Greece wind energy resource. For this purpose, wind measurements from two local weather stations were obtained and a supplementary meteorological mast was installed at a selected location. The availability of such data was sufficient, and the WAsP model was used to evaluate them. Several potential sites, appropriate for wind energy conversion system (WECS) installations, were selected and investigated. A method of evaluating the economic feasibility of the required private investments on WECS installations is presented. Such privately owned generation systems may or may not operate in parallel with a large scale network, thus the energy produced by it is either provided to meet local load needs or transmitted to the external grid system. The paper also assesses non-financial attributes, typically associated with the implementation of WECS installations, such as local/national environmental and socio-economic impacts. A general computer program has been developed, aiming to become a flexible computational tool for investigating possible sites with wind potential. The program also takes into account the specific technoeconomical constraints pertaining to Greek reality by following the latest national development and energy laws applicable to the production by private entrepreneurs of electrical energy from renewable energy sources, which is sold to the Greek Public Power Corporation (P.P.C.). To make good use of the program, several potential sites and a case of a local industry in the geographical area of Thrace/Greece are thoroughly analyzed, and the pertinent results are presented.