%0 Journal Article
%T WIND ENERGY MAP OF ARABIAN GULF
%A Khaled Al-Salem
%A Subramaniam Neelamani
%A Waleed Al-Nassar
%J Natural Resources
%P 212-228
%@ 2158-7086
%D 2018
%I Scientific Research Publishing
%R 10.4236/nr.2018.95014
%X
Wind power is not only pollution free and renewable
but is becoming more economical with technology development. The countries
around the Arabian Gulf region are investing for wind powers both the land and
in their marine space. A detailed study on wind power resource in the Arabian
Gulf is not available. This paper is on the wind energy resource availability
over Arabian Gulf waters, covering 2300 grid points. The data available with
Coastal Information System data base at Kuwait Institute for Scientific
Research, Kuwait, from 1979 to 2015 is used. The probability density and power
density were derived from these data source. Weibull probability density
function has been fitted to the wind speed data and the wind power density was
evaluated. The study is carried out at 10 m, 30 m and 50 m elevations. The
central location of the Arabian Gulf has higher annual average wind speed,
ranging from 6 to 8 m/s at 10 m elevation, 7 to 8 m/s at 30 m elevation and 8 to 9 m/s at 50 m elevation. The scale parameter ¡°c¡± at central location of Arabian Gulf is found to range from 6 - 8 m/s for 10 m elevation, 7