Evaluation of Wind Energy Potential in a Sahelian Zone: A Case Study of Ouahigouya, Burkina Faso

Drissa Boro^1, , Windmanagda Sawadogo², Hagninou Elagnon Venance Donnou³, Alfred Bayala¹, Florent P. Kieno¹ and Joseph Bathiebo¹

¹Laboratoire d’Energies Thermiques Renouvelables (L.E.T.R.E), UO1 10 BP: 13495 OUAGA 10, Burkina Faso.

²Institute of Geography, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany

³Laboratoire de Physique du Rayonnement (LPR), Faculté des Sciences et Techniques (FAST), Université d’Abomey-Calavi, 01 B.P.526, Cotonou, Benin

Cite this paper:
Drissa Boro, Windmanagda Sawadogo, Hagninou Elagnon Venance Donnou, Alfred Bayala, Florent P. Kieno and Joseph Bathiebo. Evaluation of Wind Energy Potential in a Sahelian Zone: A Case Study of Ouahigouya, Burkina Faso. Sustainable Energy. 2020; 8(1):20-27. doi: 10.12691/rse-8-1-4

Abstract

This study investigates the characteristics of the wind energy potential in Ouahigouya, Burkina Faso. For this purpose, eleven-years data (2006-2016) of wind speed (at 10 m above ground level (AGL)) and surface temperature data from Burkina Faso meteorological agency and wind speed (50 m AGL) from the NASA were used. Based on the mean vertical profile of wind speed at monthly and annual scales, the Weibull function was used to characterize the wind speed frequency distribution and to calculate the wind power density. Major results indicate that the peaks of mean wind speeds are estimated at 3.51 m.s^-1 (May) and 5.18 m.s^-1 (March) for the 20 m and 50 m altitudes respectively. The mean annual wind speed at the 20 m AGL at the site is estimated at 2.87 m.s^-1 while at 50 m AGL, a value of 4.33 m.s-1 is recorded. The estimated wind power density reveals that the largest amounts of energy are generally collected during the months corresponding to the dry season with peaks in March or May depending on the height. The amount of energy available at 20 m AGL varies from 32.90 W/m2 (September) to 84.97 W/m2 (May). At 50 m AGL, this value varies respectively from 68.68 W/m2 (August) to 346.47 W/m2 (March). Average annual power density amounts are estimated at 65.92 W/m2 at 20 m and 223.17 W/m2 at 50 m, respectively, for a growth rate of 70.46 %. In view of these results, the Ouahigouya site could be conducive to the installation of small and medium-sized turbines to supply rural communities with electrical energy.

Keywords:
wind potential Weibull distribution power density vertical profile

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