Renewable energy technologies are considered clean sources of energy and optimal use of these resources minimizes environmental impacts and is sustainable based on current and future economic and societal needs. In Namibia, wind energy can be considered one of the available renewable energy sources. Despite the abundance of wind speed distribution over Namibia, there is a lack of properly analyzed and documented data that could reveal the capabilities of wind energy generation in Namibia. This research aims to assess the wind energy generation potential for Ongwediva and with specific application to the University of Namibia Engineering Campus to determine its suitability. Data for the Jose Eduardo dos Santos (JEDS) Campus was collected from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Data Access Viewer. The collected data was analyzed and modelled using the Weibull probability distribution function. Results from the model predict the wind speed distribution pattern and energy density which constitute the decision variables for the suitability of wind energy application at the selected site. The yearly averaged wind speeds for the study location varied between 3.456 and 3.698 m/s while the calculated yearly averaged wind power density ranged between 22 - 27 W/m2 for a single turbine. The study concluded that the appropriate wind turbine for the range of wind speed and power density for Ongwediva was the Vestas V100 which could produce 1800 kW of electrical power which may provide CO2 savings of 4,974 tons/year. This assessment provides data for advancing wind resource development and application in the Engineering campus or around Ongwediva town. Keywords: Assessment, Renewable Energy, Weibull Distribution Functions, Wind Resource.
Engineering Headway
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| Assessment of wind energy generation potential for Ongwediva.pdf | 285.14 KB |