In a recent article published in the journal Energy Reports, researchers from Bangladesh conducted a comprehensive assessment of the country's wind energy potential. Bangladesh faces energy issues like many developing countries driven by population growth and economic expansion. The authors aimed to identify and analyze potential locations for wind energy generation and explore effective methods for site characterization.
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Background
Wind energy is a widely used clean and renewable energy source known for its low operating costs, zero emissions, and long lifespan. It can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet the increasing electricity demand. Renewable energy has become increasingly important with the global challenges of energy shortages and climate change.
Wind turbines capture and transform wind energy into electrical energy, making them a viable option for electricity generation in industrialized and developing countries.
However, wind turbines' performance and efficiency depend on wind speed, direction, variability, topography, and climate. Therefore, assessing a region's wind resource potential and characteristics is crucial before deploying wind turbines.
About the Research
In this paper, the authors analyzed wind speed data from 2000 to 2020 collected from the Asia-Pacific Data Research Center (APDRC) to assess potential wind energy sites in Bangladesh.
They identified and characterized these sites using various techniques, including spatial distribution mapping, wind rose diagrams for directional analysis, extreme value analysis for survivability, and statistical and machine learning models for forecasting wind patterns. They also evaluated the environmental, social, and economic impacts of deploying wind energy in Bangladesh.
Research Findings
The study identified five potential sites for wind energy in Bangladesh: Bagerhat, Bandarban, Bogra, Kishoreganj, and Munshiganj. These locations were selected based on high and consistent wind speeds, low disaster risk, proximity to transmission lines, accessibility, and minimal environmental and social impact.
The results revealed that average wind speeds at these sites range from 3 to 5 m/s, which is suitable for wind energy generation. They also noted significant seasonal and locational variations in wind direction and frequency, which influence the optimal orientation and design of wind turbines.
The authors used two extreme value distribution models to estimate extreme wind speeds: the generalized extreme value distribution (GEVD) and the generalized Pareto distribution (GPD). These models helped simulate extreme events like gusts and storms, crucial for assessing wind turbine survivability. The outcomes indicated that extreme wind speeds at the selected sites range from 6 to 14 m/s, which is within the operational limits of most wind turbines.
The researchers employed several models for forecasting future wind speeds, including the autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA), exponential smoothing, neural hierarchical interpolation for time series forecasting (N-HiTS), and Facebook Prophet. Based on statistical, machine learning, and hybrid approaches, these models aimed to capture wind speed patterns over time and space.
The performance of these models was evaluated using root mean squared error (RMSE) and the coefficient of determination (R²). The results showed that the exponential smoothing model performed best, followed by the N-HiTS model, in predicting wind speeds at the selected sites.
Applications
The research offers valuable insights and recommendations for deploying wind energy in Bangladesh. It suggests that wind energy can be an excellent option to meet the country’s energy needs, particularly in rural and remote areas where grid connections are challenging or expensive.
The authors also recommended integrating wind energy with other renewable sources, such as solar and hydro, to create hybrid systems that provide reliable and stable power. Furthermore, they highlighted the potential environmental, social, and economic benefits of wind energy for Bangladesh, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions, creating job opportunities, and enhancing energy security.
Conclusion
The paper summarized that wind energy could be a promising and viable option for electricity generation in Bangladesh, particularly at the identified locations with favorable wind conditions and other advantages.
Moving forward, the researchers recommended conducting more detailed, site-specific wind resource assessments, exploring optimal turbine design and configuration, and evaluating the economic feasibility and social acceptance of wind energy projects. Overall, they provided valuable insights and guidance for future wind energy deployment in the country.
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Source:
Tasnim, M., Rifa, T, I., Shahriar, T., Habib, M, A. Wind energy deployment in Bangladesh: Investigating feasible locations and their characteristics. Energy Reports, 2024, 11, 4338-4355. DOI: 10.1016/j.egyr.2024.04.013. https://www.sciencedirect.com/