Study on Offshore Wind Energy Potential in the Gulf of Thailand

Abstract

Wind energy could be an alternative new energy source with free and sustainable power energy. There is high potential of offshore wind speed and power density that are suitable to install a turbine farm for a wind generator. In this study, wind potential data along the east side offshore of Thailand or the Gulf of Thailand were measured in every 10 minutes for 4 years (2017-2020) from 10 meteorological masts at 10 m. high above ground level. The Multi Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) was used to find optimal and suitable offshore wind farm stations. The wind data by Wind Atlas Analysis and Program (WAsP) program were analyzed for the results of the mean wind speed, the wind power density, wind distribution and Annual Energy Productive (AEP) with Vestas V112-3.0 MW wind turbines. The wind climates of the sufficient mean wind speed for cut-in wind turbines were also analyzed to select wind farms. Finally, there were 2 selected sites: Prachuap Khiri Khan and Narathiwat sites which were the most optimal at 84 m of height, 4.1 and 4.5 m/s of the mean wind speed, and 121 and 181 W/m2 the power density, respectively. The most wind direction from the frequency of the distribution was 240° or South South-West (SSW) at both sites. Besides, in this study, the total wind farm capacity is 84 MW with 28 turbines at each site. At Prachuap Khiri Khan and Narathiwat sites, the total net AEP was 226.7 and 270.8 GWh, respectively with 0.33-0.38 of the capacity factor and 93.4-97.63% of wind farm efficiency.