Assessment of wind energy potential along the Egyptian Mediterranean Coast

Background

Currently, there is no wind park operating along the Egyptian Mediterranean Coast. Therefore, this study aims to find suitable locations for such projects. Wind data from five coastal meteorological stations were used. These are Marsa Matruh (MM), Ras El-Tin (RE), Abu Qir (AQ), Port Said (PS), and Arish (Ar), in that order from west to east. The wind regime dataset, comprising velocity and direction measurements at a 10-m elevation, was collected from January 2007 to December 2022 (16 years), with a complete record of all data points. The Weibull distribution function, along with its different parameters, was used to characterize wind energy along the Egyptian Mediterranean Coast. The coefficient of determination (R²), root mean squared error (RMSE), and relative root mean squared error (RRMSE) for the Weibull parameters, along with the relative percentage errors (RPE) for the wind power density were calculated to assess the concordance between outcomes derived from observed data and those predicted by the Weibull function.

Results

Results revealed that the dominant wind direction along the Egyptian Mediterranean Coast was the NNW to N wind, except at Ar where the dominant wind was S. The wind velocity range of 4–6 m/s dominated RE, AQ, and PS. At MM and Ar, this was reduced to 2–4 m/s. The analysis of wind power density outlined significant insights into the potential for wind energy generation in the region. The overall analysis showed that AQ and PS were potentially the most suitable locations for wind energy projects. However, the high variability at the AQ site required robust system designs to manage the fluctuating wind conditions. PS might be more suitable for projects prioritizing stability and consistency over maximum energy output. Although Arish, characterized by its lower wind power density, may be less conducive for large-scale wind energy projects, it could still be viable for smaller installations or when integrated with other renewable energy sources.

Conclusions

The different statistical indices reflected good model fitting, displaying the reliability of the Weibull distribution as a tool for preliminary wind resource assessment along the Egyptian Mediterranean Coast and facilitating accurate predictions of wind power availability.