Wind Speed and Wind Power Characteristics for Gassim, Saudi Arabia

The study presents the wind speed characteristics like wind statistics, local values of wind shear exponent (WSE), Weibull distribution parameters, turbulence intensity (TI), and wind energy yield using wind speed measurements made at 20 m, 30 m, and 40 m above ground level (AGL) from December 5, 1995, to October 24, 1998. At 20, 30, and 40 m above ground level (AGL) the mean wind speeds were 3.5, 4.1, and 4.3 m/s, respectively. A decreasing pattern was observed in the values of both Weibull parameters k and c from year 1996 to 1998, but no seasonal pattern could be defined. The study recommends a value of WSE of 0.337 for the estimation of wind at different heights AGL. In general, higher values of TI were noticed at lower elevations compared to those at higher altitudes. The annual net energy equivalent to 6554.7, 7634.8, and 8563.5 MW h could be produced by 2.75 MWVestas wind turbine and with an average plant capacity factor (PCF) of 27.2, 31.7, and 35.5% corresponding to hub heights of 60, 80, and 100 m, respectively.