Wind energy potential assessment in Nifas Mewucha, Amhara Province, Ethiopia

Abstract

In recent years, Ethiopia has been developing different strategies to promote the installation of renewable energy plants. In this regard, evaluating territories to assess their potential and thus identify optimum sites for the installation of energy-generating facilities is a crucial task. This paper presents a comprehensive geographic information system (GIS)-based site-selection methodology for wind-power plants in the province of Amhara. High resolution wind speed data from Ethiopian National Metrology Agency (ENMA) and lower resolution daily wind speed data are combined and processed in order to obtain a fine wind speed distribution and thus wind energy production. This assessment is vital to elevate proper utilization of the energy sources into one step. According to the results we have obtained, in this paper, appreciated results are obtained to the power enhancement of the country.