Assessment of wind power generation along the coast of Ghana

Highlights: • The wind energy and its economic viability along the coastal region of Ghana are examined. • Wind resource along the coastal region of Ghana fall into Class 2 or less wind resource. • Wind turbine with rated speed from 9 to 11 m/s is suggested for wind power development. • The unit cost of wind generated electricity is found be between 0.0732 GH¢/kW h and 0.2905 GH¢/kW h. - Abstract: This study examined the wind energy potential and the economic viability of using wind turbine for electricity generation in selected locations along the coastal region of Ghana. The two-parameter Weibull probability density function was employed to analyze the wind speed data obtained from the Ghana Energy Commission. The energy output and unit cost of electricity generated from medium size commercial wind turbine models with rated powers ranging from 50 kW to 250 kW were determined. It was found that the wind resource along the coastal region of Ghana can be classified into Class 2 or less wind resource which indicate that this resource in this area is marginally suitable for large scale wind energy development or suitable for small scale applications and be useful as part of hybrid energy system. It was further observed that wind turbine with designed cut-in wind speed of less than 3 m/s and moderate rated wind speed between 9 and 11 m/s is more suitable for wind energy development along the coastal region of Ghana. Based on the selected wind turbine and assumptions used in this study, it was estimated that the unit cost of electricity varied between 0.0695 GH¢/kW h and 0.2817 GH¢/kW h