Performance evaluation of wind turbines for energy generation in NigerudDelta, Nigeria

摘要

This paper evaluates wind energy potentials of seven selected locations spreading across Niger-Deltaudregion of Nigeria using wind speed data that extend over 9 to 37 years and subjected to 2-parameterudWeibull distribution functions. The performance of four wind turbine models ranging from 35 toud500 kW was simulated in all the locations considered. The results show that the performance of all theudwind energy conversion systems gave the least energy output values at Ikom. In addition, annual energyudoutput ranged from 4.07 MWh at Ikom to 145.57 MWh at Ogoja with Polaris America (100 kW) and ZeusudEnergy (500 kW) wind turbines respectively. It was also observed that, irrespective of the site, G-3120ud(35 kW) wind turbine has the highest capacity factor among the models considered. Therefore, for windudenergy development, G-3120 model or wind turbine with similar rated wind speed would be most suitableudin all the locations. The number of inhabitants that can be served by the energy produced usingudG-3120 turbine in each location was estimated.