Techno-Economic Feasibility Study of Small Wind Turbines in the Valley of Mexico Metropolitan Area

Osvaldo Rodriguez-Hernandez, Manuel Martinez, Carlos Lopez-Villalobos, Hector Garcia and Rafael Campos-Amezcua
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Osvaldo Rodriguez-Hernandez: Instituto de Energías Renovables. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, A.P. 34, 62580 Temixco, Mor. México, Mexico
Manuel Martinez: Instituto de Energías Renovables. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, A.P. 34, 62580 Temixco, Mor. México, Mexico
Carlos Lopez-Villalobos: Posgrado en Ingeniería (Energía), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, A.P. 34, 62580 Temixco, Mor. México, Mexico
Hector Garcia: Independent Researcher, Morelia 58120, Mich., Mexico
Rafael Campos-Amezcua: Tecnológico Nacional de México/Instituto Tecnológico de Pachuca, Carr. México-Pachuca km 87.5, Col. Venta Prieta, C.P. 42080, Pachuca, Hgo., Mexico

Energies, 2019, vol. 12, issue 5, 1-26

Abstract: The use of small wind turbines (SWTs) is an alternative energy strategy with increasing potential for satisfying in situ electrical demands and should be studied to promote social penetration. The Valley of Mexico Metropolitan Area (VMMA) has air pollution issues that need to be addressed. This has resulted in programs for monitoring atmospheric variables, such as wind speed. By selecting and using 3 years’ worth of available data, we developed a methodology to study the technical and economic feasibility of using SWTs in the VMMA. To this end, 28 SWT models were assessed at 18 locations to estimate annual energy production. In light of certain data characteristics, an adjustment to the power production was proposed for the specific case of using SWTs. Cash flow analysis and annualized net present value (ANPV) were used to determine economic feasibility for each location; furthermore, electric home feeds in the VMMA were considered to model local economic conditions. Similar wind conditions were observed within the VMMA; however, only two wind turbine and location models provided positive ANPV values. The extra annual benefit for each project was calculated by associating the cost per mitigation of CO 2 emissions, which may provide an economic strategy for promoting the penetration of this technology.

Keywords: resource assessment; wind power; distributed generation; Rayleigh distribution; urban environment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (12)

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