Analysis of wind data and wind energy potential along the northern coast of Senegal

Abstract

Senegal is one of the developing countries and its dependence upon imported fossil fuels can only be offset by the sustained exploitation of its indigenous resources. Wind energy is renewable and environment friendly, which can be harnessed for various end-uses. A precise knowledge of wind energy regime is a pre-requisite for the efficient planning and implementation of any wind energy project. However, due to the absence of a reliable and accurate Senegalese Wind Atlas, further studies on the assessment of wind energy in Senegal are necessary. The main purpose of this paper is to present and to perform an investigation on the wind energy potential of the northern coast of Senegal along the Atlantic Ocean. Therefore, in this study, wind data collected over a period of two years at five different locations in this region of Senegal were evaluated in order to figure out the wind energy potential along the northern coast of Senegal. The data from selected stations were analyzed using the two-parameter Weibull probability distribution function. With an annual mean wind speed of 3.8 m/s, an annual energy of 158 kWh/m² could be extracted. It is found that the potential uses of wind energy in these locations are for water pumping in rural areas. The study presented here is also an attempt to promote wind energy in Senegal and to bridge the gap in order to create prospective Wind Atlas of Senegal.