ASSESSMENT OF WIND ENERGY POTENTIAL OVER GUINEA COAST OF WEST AFRICA

Abstract

Energy is one of the crucial inputs for socio-economic development; therefore energy can be said to be a fundamental device to derive any nation from developing to developed position. This study presents an assessment of wind energy potential over Guinea coast of West Africa for the purpose of comparing potential power obtainable between the coastal stations and the open Gulf of Guinea. Data on daily wind speed at reference height of 10meters was obtained from European Reanalyzed data set (ERA interim). For Accra, Calabar, Cotonou, Lagos, Portharcourt, Ikosi, Ota Snake Island, Sea 1, Sea 2 and Sea 3 wind speed data for a period of 11 years (2006-2016) were utilized. The assessment of wind energy potential was based on Weibull model. By using the two-parameter Weibull function parameter and other analysis to determine the potential of the site wind resources for power generation, this study has portrayed stations characterized by persistent wind flows adequate for commercial electrical power generation. The results showed that the maximum monthly mean wind speed for Accra, Calabar, Cotonou, Lagos, P/H, Ikosi, Ota, Snake island, Sea 1, Sea 2 and Sea 3 are 5.02m/s, 2.03m/s, 2.91m/s, 4.67m/s,4.54m/s, 2.83m/s, 3.09m/s, 2.45m/s, 5.67m/s, 5.3m/s and 5.4m/s respectively. The annual mean wind speeds ranges from 1.69m/s for Calabar to 4.30m/s for Open Sea 1. Seasonally, the average mean wind speed during dry season range from 1.16m/s in Calabr to 3.48m/s in Open sea 1, while for the wet season ranges from 1.75m/s in Calabar and 4.5m/s in Open sea 1. The estimated monthly mean wind power density ranges from about 5.0W/m2 in (Calabar) to 104.37W/m2 in (Sea 1). The highest value of usable power is around 1MW in JAS (July, August and September) for Accra, Lagos, Sea 1, Sea 2 and Sea 3. Lastly, small scale wind-to-electricity power generation was assessed using four (4) practical wind turbine models. The Bonus 2300 turbine model has the maximum energy yield, despite relatively low capacity factor of less than 10%.