GIS and Remote Sensing-Based Assessment of Regional Wind Climate in Maysan Province Using Wind Atlas Analysis and Application Program WAsP

Abstract

This study assesses the wind energy potential in Maysan Province, Iraq, utilizing the Wind Atlas and the WAsP program to investigate the regional wind climate. Despite Iraq's increasing interest in renewable energy, few studies have examined wind resources in this region. The study addresses this deficiency by employing the Global Wind Atlas to acquire wind data and a Generalized Wind Climate file for designated regions. The WAsP software was employed to analyze this data and simulate microscale wind characteristics, including wind speed, power densities, and Weibull parameters across different elevations and roughness categories. The results indicate that Maysan Province possesses favorable wind conditions, especially at heights above 100 m, when wind speed exceeds 8 m/s and power densities reach over 600 W/m². Surface roughness significantly influences wind velocities at lower elevations, however, its effect wanes diminishes with greater altitude, highlights the moderate surface roughness, suggesting a landscape with sparse vegetation or mixed land cover, which affects turbine placement and hub height determination. This research supports Iraq’s transition to renewable energy by identifying viable locations for wind power generation, reducing reliance on fossil fuels.