Techno-Economic Viability Assessment of Offshore Wind Power Generation in the Bight of Benin - Nigeria Coast

Abstract

The offshore wind energy data of the Bight of Benin, southwest Nigeria coast in the Gulf of Guinea Atlantic Ocean, were collected at 10m and 50m Above Sea Level (ASL) from various ground and high-resolution satellite recording stations for comparison, conformity, and confirmation of results for accurate analysis and modelling with various technical and economic feasibility measurement tools for offshore wind power generation based on Direct Drive Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine (HAWT) with Synchronous Permanent Magnet Generator (SPMG) configuration in Nigeria’s Bight of Benin littoral zone.

The results were analysed to determine the technical and commercial viability of an offshore wind farm for sustainable power generation via interoperable mini-grids as well as in hybridization with other energy sources using proven techno-economic tools, which include: Techno-Economic Renewable Energy Viability Index (TEREVI), Techno-Economic Levelized Cost of Energy (TELCOE), conventional Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE), and HOMER software simulated Cost of Electricity.

Wind speeds were found to be significantly higher on average at altitudes of 10m and above on the offshore compared to onshore and the average windspeed in all the data gathering stations were found to meet or exceed the 3.5m/s  minimum windspeed threshold required for power generation with values varying strongly with seasons resulting in very good above average commercial prospect yielding TEREVI of 0.7625, TELCOE of 0.0265, LCOE of 0. 0.0249, and a HOMER generated COE of 0.019.