Preliminary estimate of the large-scale wind energy resource with few measurements available: The case of Montenegro

The purpose of the study here presented has been to provide a preliminary assessment of the onshore and offshore wind resource of the Republic of Montenegro. Due to the preliminary character of this study and the scarcity of reliable experimental anemometric data, we have applied the same methodology already adopted to realise the Italian Wind Atlas. This methodology implies the combination of the statistical analysis of long-term wind speed and direction data by the reanalyses of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts with the numerical modelling of three-dimensional wind flows over complex terrain to obtain a first estimate of the wind potential of the considered domain. The wind flow simulations have been performed by means of a mass-consistent model. Then, the simulated average wind speed values have been corrected by means of their comparison with the few available and reliable wind values measured at 10 m above ground level, onshore - three anemometric stations belonging to the national meteorological network - and offshor-the 28 grid points of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration satellite data. Finally, a preliminary estimation of the wind power density of Montenegro at 50 no a.g.l. is briefly discussed. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.