Assessing wind energy potential in Kurdistan province, Iran

In this study, 3-h wind speed data for years 1987–2009 at 10, 20 and 40 m heights have been analyzed for Kurdistan province. Wind energy potential at five stations in this province was investigated. Six types of methods, namely, graphical, empirical, method of moment, energy pattern factor, maximum likelihood and probabilityweighted moments were used to estimate the parameters. The results showed that MOM was an efficient method among others in the present study because it had the lowest value of the Chi-square statistics. Also, wind speed for Tyear return period was estimated. In the annual time scale, the range of shape parameter, k, was between 0.78 and 1.03 whereas the range of the scale parameter, c, was between 1.84 and 4.37 m/s. Also, the most important characteristics of wind energy were evaluated. Among all the stations, Bijar and Zarineh Obato were found to be the best sites for wind energy harnessing. Bijar had the highest value of wind power density at 10 m height, which was equal to 308 W/m2. In average, the rank of stations according to 100 years return period was as: (1) Zarineh Obato, (2) Bijar, (3) Ghorveh, (4) Saghez and (5) Sanandaj.