Exploring Wind Energy Potentials in Yefran, Libya: A Technical Assessment Based on Speed Criteria

Abstract

Electricity demand is increasing daily, posing a major challenge worldwide. Therefore, it is more crucial than ever to transition to clean, environmentally friendly renewable energy sources as an alternative to traditional fossil fuel-based power generation. Wind energy is one such renewable energy source that offers a clean solution for electricity generation. This study aims to estimate the potential wind power based on the collection of wind speed data using a suitable method of the Weibull parameter, where wind data is collected from the National Center for Meteorology for 2018–2020 based on their in the Yefran region. An important conclusion is that the highest average monthly wind speeds were recorded in March 2018 and December 2020, reaching 10.9 knots (5.607 m/s) in both. On the other hand, the lowest wind speeds were recorded in February 2019 saw the quietest period with an average wind speed of 6.4 knots (3.292 m/s). In general, Wind speeds remained relatively stable over the three years, with 2020 being the most active year in terms of wind speed. Also, in 2018, the unoptimized model predicted an output of 999,046.18 kWh, while the Weibull model revised this value to 1,749,812.56 kWh (+75.15%). The most interesting finding in the data is the high volatility in 2019. According to the unoptimized model, 2019 appeared to be the worst year (907,395.64 kWh). However, according to the Weibull model, it actually became the highest-yielding year (1,863,640.40 kWh), resulting in a massive variance of +105.38%. In 2020, the winds were stable and regular, with 2020 experiencing the lowest variability (+70.39%), as production increased from 1,031,737.83 kWh to 1,757,987.35 kWh.