Wind Energy Data Analysis and Resource Mapping of Geba Catchment

Knowledge of wind energy regime is a pre-requisite for any wind energy planning and implementation projects. The wind energy potential of Ethiopia is estimated to be about 10,000MW, but only less than 2 percent of it is utilized so far. One of the reasons for this low utilization of wind energy in Ethiopia is absence of a reliable and accurate Wind Atlas. Development of reliable and accurate wind atlas helps to identify candidate sites for wind energy applications and facilitates the planning and implementation of wind energy projects. The main purpose of this project is to analyze the available wind data in Geba catchment, North Ethiopia and develop a resource map which could help planners, potential investors and researchers in identifying potential area for wind energy applications in the catchment. Average wind speed and power density, distribution of the wind, prevailing direction, turbulence intensity and wind shear profile of each site were determined. Wind Atlas Analysis and Application Programme (WAsP) was used to generate the wind atlas of the area and to develop the wind speed and power density maps.