LAUSR

Abstract The present work utilized Lidar anemometer based wind speed measurements at different heights for eight months made at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals Campus in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia during July 01, 2015 to February 29, 2016 to study the wind speed and power characteristics. The wind speed and power characteristics are analyzed in terms monthly mean and diurnal wind speed, Weibull shape and scale parameters, wind power density; frequency, wind turbulence; wind shear exponent; correlation between wind speeds at adjacent heights, and lastly the wind energy yield and plant capacity factor. The average wind speed was >6 m/s at 99 m and above but the increase in wind speed measured at 99–179 m was only 13%. High coefficients of determination of 0.97–0.99 were found between wind speeds measured at adjacent heights. The site under investigation was found to be feasible with excellent normalized annual net energy yield of 861.05 kWh/m2 and a net plant capacity factor of 25.96% using a 2 MW wind turbine.