Wind Resource Mapping in Maldives : 24 Month Site Resource Report

The World Bank (the ‘Customer’) retained Garrad Hassan America, Inc. (DNV GL) to complete a 24-month Site Resource Report, which consists of an independent analysis of the wind regime and energy production at two locations in the Maldives, as part of the Wind Resource Assessment and Mapping in the Maldives project. The results of the work are reported here. The project is primarily funded by the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP). The overall objective consists of providing a validated mesoscale wind atlas for the Maldives, including associated datasets. This aims to provide policy makers in the Maldives and other stakeholders with accurate and valuable knowledge of the national wind resource, including complementary tools, which can be of direct practical use, both for formulating energy policy and implementing wind projects. This report presents a description of the project sites and indicative turbine technology considered. It then describes the available measurements and analysis of the wind data. This is followed by an evaluation of the expected project gross and net energy for a wind turbine in the vicinity of the measurement locations, as influenced by assumed losses and uncertainties. It then provides an overview of the extreme winds and turbulence expected at the sites. Finally, it presents DNV GL’s observations and recommendations.