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WIND ENERGY STUDY (WEST) PROJECT in Bangladesh :             

 

The Wind Energy Study (WEST) Project of Bangladesh Centre for Advanced studies (BCAS) was an attempt to collect wind-speed data through technically sound monitoring system, since no such study had previously been done in Bangladesh. The project was approved by Aid Management Office, Dhaka (AMOD) in September,1995. BCAS has been provided with necessary technical assistance and cooperation by Energy Technical Support Unit (ETSU), Harwell, UK in the implementation of the project. Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) helped in installation of the wind monitoring masts, collection and dispatch of data cards from the monitoring sites to BCAS Headquarters at Dhaka on regular basis.

 

 

 

Seven Wind measuring stations were located at –

1. Patenga

2. Cox’s Bazar

3. Kutubdia

4. Teknaf

5. Noakhali

6. Kuakata and

7. Char Fassion

Monthly and Annual Average Wind Speed Values :

The final report of WEST indicates that the average monthly wind-speed is relatively high during the months of April through August and low during September to March. The average annual wind speed values at 25 meter height for the seven stations vary from 2.96 m/sec to 4.54 m/sec. The highest average annual value (4.54 m/sec) was observed in Kuakata  and the lowest value (2.96 m/sec) was observed in Teknaf and Noakhali.

Table  shows the monthly average wind speeds obtained from measuring stations of WEST.

Monthly average wind speeds from seven WEST stations :

 

NAME OF WIND SPEED MONITORING STATIONS

 

Patenga

Cox’s Bazar

Teknaf

Noakhali

Char Fassion

Kuakata

Kutubdia

Jun’96

8.75

-

-

-

-

-

-

Jul ‘96

5.87

5.42

5.77

--

-

-

-

Aug’96

5.32

5.33

4.90

4.70

4.60 at 10m height

5.20 at 25m height

5.70

-

Sep’96

3.36

3.69

3.46

2.49

2.80 at 10m height

3.34 at 25m height

3.77

3.58

Oct'96

3.20

3.74

3.30

2.83

3.07 10m height  3.70 at 25m height

2.18

3.98

Nov’96

2.61

2.93

2.29

1.91

Lost

1.98

3.23

Dec'96

2.97

1.78

1.44

1.35

2.38 at 10m height

3.90 at 25m height

3.35

3.38

Jan’97

3.25

2.33

1.99

1.31

2.19 at 10m height

2.80 at 25m height

3.18

3.67

Feb’97

2.66

1.99

1.90

1.90

2.02 at 10m height

2.69 at 25m height

3.37

3.29

Mar’97

3.13

2.42

2.26

2.38

3.09 at 10m height

3.54 at 25m height

4.84

3.53

Apr’97

2.88

1.84

1.65

2.25

2.28 at 10m height

3.29 at 25m height

4.93

3.11

May’97

4.96

3.97

3.09

3.99

3.71 at 10m height

4.81 at 25m height

6.28

4.89

Jun’97

5.83

4.64

3.26

5.00

4.42 at 10m height

5.76 at 25m height

7.31

5.90

Jul’97

5.67

4.80

4.33

4.92

3.94 at 10m height

5.22 at 25m height

7.34

6.17

Aug’97

5.13

4.31

4.03

3.85

4.01 at 10m height

5.17 at 25m height

-

5.34

Sept’97

-

2.96

1.83

2.77

2.20 at 10m height

3.08 at 25m height

-

3.97

Annual Avg.

3.95

3.34

2.94

2.96

3.21 at 10m height 4.07 at 25m height

4.52

4.21

 

Wind Energy Potential in Kuakata (Sensor height:25m)

 

Monthly Mean Wind Speed

Standard Deviation (m/s)

Peak Wind Speed(m/s)

(Date/time)

Lull Period

(Hours)

Coefficient of variation 

Prevailing wind direction

July ‘96

5.87

0.67

16.92

(11/0230)

9.77

0.13

SE

August’96

5.32

0.62

21.08 (6/0840)

28.67

0.13

SE

September’96

3.36

0.48

14.83(27/1300)

111.00

0.18

SE/NW

October’96

3.20

0.55

22.33(29/1300)

94.50

0.20

NE

November’96

2.61

0.35

8.17(6/1820)

50.17

0.15

NE

December’96

2.97

0.37

8.58(3/1410)

21.50

0.14

NE

January’97

3.25

0.39

12.33(21/2330)

20.17

0.14

NE

February’97

2.66

0.34

11.5(6/2200)

124.80

0.15

NE/E

March’97

3.13

0.40

40.25(22/0450)

256.67

0.12

SW

April’97

2.88

0.45

27.75(22/1720)

210.50

0.18

E/SW

May’97

4.96

0.63

51.08(18/1900)

101.33

0.16

S

June’97

5.83

0.75

23.17(1/0650)

50.50

0.17

S/SE

July’97

5.67

0.76

19.38(29/1300)

45.83

0.17

SE

August’97

5.13

0.65

20.67(4/1010)

32.23

0.14

SE

Annual

Average

3.84

0.50

-

89.96

0.15

-

Frequency :

The frequency distribution were constructed for one year data collection period. The shape of the frequency curves is generally found to be skewed due to low frequency for high speed values and high frequency for low speed values. Significant variations were observed in the monthly frequency distribution specially between periods of high and low wind speed months. In the case of Patenga station for example, the frequency above 4m/sec was above 70% in June compared to less than 7% in November. The frequency distribution for entire data collection period showed in the Table

Diurnal Variation :

The diurnal cycles showed that wind speed reaches its maximum during 12 :00 to 15:00 hours and minimum during early morning. The available data showed that diurnal variation is high in June to August and low in the winter season (November to January).

Wind Direction :

Wind Roses were developed by using one year’s wind direction data for all stations. By analyzing the wind rose, it was found that wind blows mainly from two directions (NE and SE) in all stations except at Kuakata. Wind blows from north-east direction in the winter season and from south-east direction during summer season. But at Kuakata, wind blows from south-west direction during the summer and from north-east direction in the winter.

Percentage frequency of wind speed above 4m/s (TABLE)   

 

 

Patenga

Cox’s Bazar

Kutubdia

Teknaf

Noakhali

Kuakata

Char Fassion

Jul ‘96

76.78

65.09

-

70.81

-

-

-

Aug’96

65.77

63.66

-

57.97

60.74

81.14

59.46

Sept’96

32.82

34.14

36.89

34.49

25.93

45.14

25.3

Oct’96

25.07

36.18

43.64

31

16.53

18.01

25.43

Nov’96

6.62

24.54

35.49

18.84

5.35

5.53

Lost

Dec’96

12.86

19.76

40.3

16.49

5.22

21.26

28.96

Jan’97

22.78

25.96

41.73

24.53

6.85

27.15

23.63

Feb’97

17.41

20.18

35

21.9

14.58

29.18

21.75

Mar’97

32.86

28.52

40.66

26.39

24.13

55.98

35.78

Apr’97

27.94

18.70

31.37

15.23

24.05

56.02

37.22

May’97

58.42

45.56

61.07

33.40

48.48

78.83

55.76

Jun’97

73.84

59.56

79.14

40.49

64.70

87.94

70.53

Jul’97

70.45

60.37

79.12

48.97

63.75

90.46

49.55

Augt’97

68.67

53.29

66.51

50.99

43.73

-

55.49

Sept’97

-

30.67

45.05

16.11

27.62

-

32.20

Annual

Average

42.31

39.12

48.92

36.26

33.20

66.29

45.39

 

 

 

 

 

Wind is considered as a potential energy source especially for the coastal region and off-shore islands having no access to electricity or gas supply system. The application of wind energy technology depends upon systematic and proper assessment of wind regime. LGED and BCAS has started a programm under WEST project for assesment of wind sources in coastal belt from early '96. The selected wind-monitoring sites are located at Teknaf, Cox's Bazar, Kutubdia, Patenga,Noakhali, Char Fassion, Kuakata. Each monitoring station is equipped with anemometer, data logger and wind vane to record wind speed and wind direction at 25 meter height. Wind data are also recorded at 10 meter height at Charfashion station. In addition , atmospheric temperature and pressure are recorded at Kuakata and Char Fashion Station.

 

For wind mapping at least 5 (five) years data is necessary. But after one year(96-97) data collection the project period was over and no monitoring is done afterwards. LGED wants to start the programm under SRE project for at least five years. Initially the existing data logger should be calibrated and the monitoring station should be activated by early November. For this purposes initially  SRE project has allocated 4000.00USD. For wind mapping through-out the country can be started after the conformation of GEF fund. The hill-tract area may be the another potential site because of natural ventury. Some islands of Big rivers could also be the potential side. For mapping through out the country some data logger could be set in inland , Big river bank and middle of big Bill(Haor) . For avoiding laps of time, the discussion and planning for future mapping could be continue. The possible sites could be selected as early as possible so that the planning procedure can be started. 

 

Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) and Bangladesh center for Advanced Studies (BCAS) with assistance from Overseas Development Administration (ODA) of UK launched the wind Energy Study (WEST) Project in October 1995.WEST project was approved by Aid Management Office, Dhaka (AMOD) in Sept., 1 995.  It provided technical assistance & cooperation by Energy Technology Support Unit (ETSU), Harwell, UK.

 

Objectives

 

The principal objectives of the project is to collect year round wind speed data with the ultimate aim of assessing the wind regime in the coastal region of Bangladesh and exploring potentials for harnessing wind resource as Mechanical and electrical energy.

 

Monitoring Sites & Monitoring equipments

 

Seven monitoring sites were selected in the coastal region of Bangladesh.  The selected sites are at Patenga (Chittagong), Cox's Bazar, Kutubdia, Taknaf, Noakhali, Kuakata (Patuakhali) and Char Fasion. The sites are equipped with Anemometer- to measure wind speed, Data logger- to record wind speed data in a card and Wind vane- to record wind direction. Wind speed and wind direction are measured at 25 m & 10 m height. Atmospheric temperature (temperature sensor) and pressure (pressure sensor) are recorded at Kuakata and Char Fassion stations

 

MONTHLY AVERAGE WIND SPEED OF THREE STATIONS

 

Wind Speed in m/s

 

Month

Name of Wind Speed Monitoring Stations

 

Patenga

Kuakata

Kutubdia

June’96

(Last 15 days)

8.75

-

-

July ‘96

5.87

-

-

August’96

5.32

5.70

-

September’96

3.36

3.37

3.58

October’96

3.20

2.18

3.98

November’96

2.61

1.98

3.23

December’96

2.97

3.35

3.38

January’97

3.25

3.18

3.67

February’97

2.66

3.37

3.29

March’97

3.13

4.84

3.53

April’97

2.88

4.93

3.11

May’97

4.96

6.28

4.89

June’97

5.83

7.31

5.90

July’97

5.67

7.34

6.17

August’97

5.13

-

5.34

September’97

-

-

3.97

Annual

Average

3.95

4.52

4.21

 

 

Wind Data Analysis:

 

Wind speed is relatively high during the months of April through August and low during the remaining months.  The average annual wind speed is 4.52 m/s for Kuakata, the highest among the seven stations.  Kuakata is followed by Kutubdia and Char Fassion with annual average wind speed of 4.21 m/s and 4.07 m/s respectively.

 

Wind Data Result:

 

•      Wind speed data recorded for every ten minutes period.

•      Wind speed is relatively high during April to August and low during Sept.-March.

•      Highest wind speed in July & August and lowest wind speed in Nov. to Feb.

•      Highest average annual value ( 4 54 m/s) is observed in Kuakata.

•      Wind speed values are positively correlated with height.  The wind speed is subjected to more fluctuation near the ground and decrease with the increase of height.

 

Installation

 

The first monitoring system was installed at Patenga on June 16, 1996 and the last one at Kutubdia on September 10, 1996.  Local Government Engineering Dept. (LGED) perform the task of collecting the data diskette.  Energy Technology Support Unit (ETSU), UK assist LGED in processing and analyzing the data and also providing technical training.

 

Conclusion:

 

Wind Speed data collected from the seven monitoring sites for a period of I year It may be mentioned that long-term (at least three years) wind speed data are required for wind resource assessment.  Data generated over a period of one year is of considerable importance but not sufficient for proper assessment of the wind regime.

 

 

WEST Project Brief :

 

Division  : Environment Energy

Status : Completed

Donor/Funder: DFID (UK) Undertaken by BCAS with logistic support from the LGED 

Duration  :  1996-1998 

Location :  Wind monitoring sites in Cox’s Bazar, Patenga (Chittagong), Sudharam (Noakhali, Charfassion (Bhola), Kuakata (Patuakhali) and Kutubdia (Cox Bazar).  

Objectives :The principal objectives of the survey were to collect relevant information and data on the topographical condition of the wind-monitoring sites and to bring into focus the socio-economic characteristics of the people living around the monitoring sites.

Methods and Tools: The methodology on the spot investigation of the wind-monitoring sites and interview of different socio-economic groups living around the monitoring sites were conducted. Topographical information  of the wind-monitoring sites and interview methods were used to collect socio-economic and energy related data from different categories of energy users.                

Results/Output   : The households survey covering the nearby villages around the wind-monitoring stations shows that farming and fishing are the main occupations of the active male population other occupational groups include agricultural labourers, small traders, venders etc. Women are mostly engaged in domestic activities and raising of poultry birds, livestock animals at the household levels. 

The average monthly expenditure per household on kerosene and dry cell in Taka 126. A significant percentage 88% of the  households also purchase fuelwood for cooking. The average monthly expenditure per household on fuelwood is Tk.141 for the household incurring cash. expenditure on fuelwood. 

The various types of energy users like households, commercial shops, industrial units, irrigation pumps, community institutions face multifarious energy related problems. On of the main problems faced by the households is the non-availability and high cost of bio-mass fuels for cooking specially during the season. Problems also exist in procuring kerosene due to its high cost and the distance of the market.  

The potential users in the coastal area have positive attitude towards wind energy project. Detailed feasibility study, however, would be required for implementation of wind energy project. Initially, demonstration cum pilot projects may be set up before going for a large-scale fully commercial project.

 

 

 

 Last Updated February 06, 2009