Performance Evaluation and Cost of Energy from 2.0 kW (Guangmang) Wind Turbine at Danjawa Renewable Energy Model Village, Sokoto, Nigeria

Abstract

Power output from a wind-powered turbine generator was estimated using the method that combined the wind generator characteristic and the characteristic of wind at the selected location of operation. Danjawa village is a small community village within Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, which is bounded by latitude of 13o.1 N and longitude 4o.13 E, with elevation of 351m. The shape and scale parameters for the location were evaluated from the twenty years (1991-2010) daily average wind speed data obtained from NIMET. The 2.0 kW (Guangmang) wind-powered generator is characterized by its cut-in wind speed, rated wind speed and furling wind speed as provided by the manufacturers. The generator power output is assumed to vary according to a third-degree polynomial with wind speed between cut-in and rated wind speeds and to be constant between rated and furling wind speeds. Similarly, the economic performance was conducted via the levelised cost of energy (LCOE) which was carried out based on the total energy output from the wind turbine and total investment on the machine. The results of the analysis indicated that the 2.0 kW (Guangmang) wind turbine generators generate 1,520.38 kWh per annum at the cost of N 326 / kWh.