Offshore Windy Potential Sites Prioritization in the Gulf of South Suez

Abstract

This study aims to conduct resource assessments at five offshore locations (L1–L5) in the Gulf of South Suez for possible development of wind farms. For this purpose, the hourly mean wind speed and direction data at 100 m above mean sea level (AMSL) and other meteorological data at near water surface from ERA5 (fifth-generation reanalysis for the global climate weather) is used. Statistical analyses, wind power, energy estimation, plant capacity factor, etc., have been performed using Windographer software. The cost of energy and greenhouse gas emissions are conducted based on international installation cost per kW and emissions factor per kWh from the literature. The data covers 43 years, between 1979 and 2021. The results show that at L1 to L5 locations, the long-term mean wind speed (WS) and wind power density (WPD) values are 8.678 m/s and 533 W/m², 4.371 m/s and 78 W/m², 8.917 m/s and 587 W/m², 7.856 m/s and 406 W/m², 8.072 m/s and 453 W/m², and 7.876 m/s and 406 W/m² at 100 m ASL, respectively. Based on the site-specific parameters (WS, WPD, WPC, MWVI, MWSI, AWVI, AWSI, minimum zero power, maximum rated power, PCF, COE, and maximum wind duration), values of 8.917 m/s, 587 W/m², 1.125, 34.92, 0.358, 101.9, 6.26%, 5.76%, 54.04%, 0.007 USD/kWh, and 91%; L2 are identified as the most relevant area for wind farm development among the studied locations. At L2 site, the wind turbine WT2 can deliver annually 21.266 GWh of energy at respective plant capacity factors of 48.55%.