Characterization of Wind Resources of the East Coast of Maranhão, Brazil

Felipe M. Pimenta (), Osvaldo R. Saavedra, Denisson Q. Oliveira, Arcilan T. Assireu, Audálio R. Torres Júnior, Ramon M. de Freitas, Francisco L. Albuquerque Neto, Denivaldo C. P. Lopes, Clóvis B. M. Oliveira, Shigeaki L. de Lima, João C. de Oliveira Neto and Rafael B. S. Veras
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Felipe M. Pimenta: Centro de Ciências Físicas e Matemáticas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Trindade, Florianópolis 88040-900, SC, Brazil
Osvaldo R. Saavedra: Instituto de Energia Elétrica, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Av. dos Portugueses s/n, Bacanga, São Luís 65080-040, MA, Brazil
Denisson Q. Oliveira: Instituto de Energia Elétrica, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Av. dos Portugueses s/n, Bacanga, São Luís 65080-040, MA, Brazil
Arcilan T. Assireu: Instituto de Recursos Naturais, Universidade Federal de Itajubá, Av. BPS 1303, Pinheirinho, Itajubá 37500-903, MG, Brazil
Audálio R. Torres Júnior: Instituto de Energia Elétrica, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Av. dos Portugueses s/n, Bacanga, São Luís 65080-040, MA, Brazil
Ramon M. de Freitas: Camargo Schubert Wind Engineering, Rua Juvenal Galeno, 55, Jardim Social, Curitiba 82520-030, PR, Brazil
Francisco L. Albuquerque Neto: Applied Meteorology Laboratory, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-916, RJ, Brazil
Denivaldo C. P. Lopes: Instituto de Energia Elétrica, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Av. dos Portugueses s/n, Bacanga, São Luís 65080-040, MA, Brazil
Clóvis B. M. Oliveira: Instituto de Energia Elétrica, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Av. dos Portugueses s/n, Bacanga, São Luís 65080-040, MA, Brazil
Shigeaki L. de Lima: Instituto de Energia Elétrica, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Av. dos Portugueses s/n, Bacanga, São Luís 65080-040, MA, Brazil
João C. de Oliveira Neto: Engenharia de Energia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Araranguá, Rua Pedro João Pereira 150, Mato Alto, Araranguá 88905-120, SC, Brazil
Rafael B. S. Veras: Instituto de Energia Elétrica, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Av. dos Portugueses s/n, Bacanga, São Luís 65080-040, MA, Brazil

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 14, 1-42

Abstract: The objective of this work is to assess the wind resources of the east coast of Maranhão, Brazil. Wind profilers were combined with micrometeorological towers and atmospheric reanalysis to investigate micro- and mesoscale aspects of wind variability. Field campaigns recorded winds in the dry and wet seasons, under the influence of the Intertropical Convergence Zone. The dry season was characterized by strong winds (8 to 12 m s − 1 ) from the northeast. Surface heat fluxes were generally positive (250 to 320 W m − 2 ) at midday and negative (−10 to −20 W m − 2 ) during the night. Convective profiles predominated near the beach, with strongly stable conditions rarely occurring before sunrise. Further inland, convective to strongly convective profiles occurred during the day, and neutral to strongly stable profiles at night. Wind speeds decreased during the rainy season (4 to 8 m s − 1 ), with increasingly easterly and southeasterly components. Cloud cover and precipitation reduced midday heat fluxes (77 W m − 2 ). Profiles were convective during midday and stable to strongly stable at night. Terrain roughness increased with distance from the ocean ranging from smooth surfaces ( z o = 0.95 mm) and rough pastures ( z o = 15.33 mm) to crops and bushes ( z o = 52.68 mm), and trees and small buildings ( z o = 246.46 mm) farther inland. Seasonal variations of the mean flow and sea and land breezes produced distinct diurnal patterns of wind speeds. The strongest (weakest) breeze amplitudes were observed in the dry (rainy) period. Daily changes in heat fluxes and fetch over land controlled the characteristics of wind profiles. During sea breezes, winds approached the coast at right angles, resulting in shorter fetches over land that maintained or enhanced oceanic convective conditions. During land breezes, winds blew from the mainland or with acute angles against the coastline, resulting in large fetches with nighttime surface cooling, generating strongly stable profiles. Coastal observations demonstrated that with increasing monopiles from 100 to 130 m it is possible to obtain similar capacity factors of beachfront turbines.

Keywords: LIDAR; SODAR; micrometeorology; eddy covariance; atmospheric stability; wind direction; wind fetch; wind shear; wind power (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: 2023
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