RET Screen based feasibility study on the prospect of wind power generation along the coastal region of Chittagong, Bangladesh

Abstract

In this paper, a study has been made on the cost and performance analysis of wind power plant in the coastal region of Chittagong of Bangladesh using RET Screen software. Till to date, no reliable data on wind power is available on Bangladesh. Very recently, some organizations named BPDB, Bangladesh Metrological Department and CWET of India have taken up projects to study wind potential along the costal belt of Bangladesh. Among them BPDB has taken up several programs named WERM, SWERA and WRAP in the country [1]. As reliable data of wind is not available, proper design on wind power plant is not feasible. As a result, harnessing energy from wind remains a remote possibility. The power development board, Bangladesh (BPDB) installed 50 numbers of turbines in the costal belt of Kutubdia in the year March 2008 [2]. Unfortunately vary little amount of energy could be extracted so far and most of pillars and turbines are rushed and has become inoperative. The main reason for such set back is due to lack of proper feasibility study and reliable data on wind. Taking all those points in serious consideration, author in this paper have tried to collect a reliable data on wind along the costal belt of Chittagong and based on this data, possible power generation from wind is analysed through RET Screen. With this user friendly software, optimum number of units together with cost of energy (COE).