An evaluation of wind energy potential for power generation in Mozambique.
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Date
2012
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Abstract
Wind energy is a continuous, clean source of energy that can be harnessed for electricity
generation or water pumping. The geographic location of Mozambique, and the long
coastline renders the country a good wind energy potential that could potentially be
exploited for water pumping or electrical power systems that have social and economic
benefits and thereby contribute to a reduction in unsustainable practices of wood
biomass burning which is the main source of energy in rural villages and high density
suburbs of the main cities of the country.
This study is focused on evaluating the potential of harnessing wind energy for
electrical power generation in Mozambique using the Wind Atlas Analysis and
Application Programme (WAsP) model. The study characterises wind speed patterns
and wind frequency distributions at selected meteorological stations based on hourly
observations, and models the available wind energy in coastal and interior areas.
Meteorological parameters such as wind speed data from nearby meteorological stations
and wind turbine characteristics were used as inputs into the model. To effectively
harness wind energy, mean annual wind speeds should at least be 3 ms-1. For this reason
only sites satisfying this criterion were selected. The spatial selection criteria considered
a fair distribution of candidate sites such that coastal areas of the southern, northern and
the interior Niassa and Nampula provinces were covered.
The results of the WAsP model simulations, indicate that there is sufficient wind energy
resource in both interior and coastal areas, which varies with height a.g.l., and that can
be exploited for pumping water and generating electricity in small or medium electrical
power systems, particularly the coastal areas of Ponta de Ouro, Mavelane, and Tofinho
where the mean annual wind speed is above 5.0 ms-1 at the 10 m level and about
8.0 ms-1 at the highest levels (50 - 60 m a.g.l.) and interior area of Lichinga (mean
annual wind speed of about 6 ms-1 at the same highest levels). The lowest wind energy
potential (mean annual wind speed of about 4.0 ms-1) is found in the Nampula area.
Description
Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2012.
Keywords
Wind power--Mozambique., Wind turbines., Theses--Environmental science.