Evaluation of wind energy potential as a power generation source for electricity production in Binalood, Iran Ali Mostafaeipour a, * , Ahmad Sedaghat b , Morteza Ghalishooyan c , Yagob Dinpashoh d , Mojtaba Mirhosseini e , Mohammad Sefid f , Maryam Pour-Rezaei g a Industrial Engineering Department, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran b Mechanical Engineering Department, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran c Civil Engineering Department, Ferdowsi University, Mashhad, Iran d Department of Water Engineering, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran e Islamic Azad University of Semnan, Mechanical Engineering Department, Semnan, Iran f Mechanical Engineering Department, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran g Management Department, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran article info Article history: Received 3 April 2012 Accepted 18 October 2012 Available online 25 November 2012 Keywords: Wind Potential Economic evaluation Feasibility Binalood Iran abstract In this paper, the hourly measured wind speed data for years 2007e2010 at 10 m, 30 m and 40 m height for Binalood region in Iran have been statically analyzed to determine the potential of wind power generation. The study showed that the long-term wind speeds were found to be relatively high. The numerical values of the dimensionless Weibull shape parameter (k) and Weibull scale parameters (c) were also determined. Based on these data, it was found that the numerical values of the shape and scale parameters for Binalood varied over a wide range. The yearly values of k at 40 m elevation range from 2.165 to 2.211 with a mean value of 2.186, while those of c are in the range of 7.683e8.016 with a mean value of 7.834. However, the yearly mean wind speed, mean power density and power density of Binalood at 40 m height are found as 5.923 m/s, 305.514 W/m 2 and 2676.30 (kWh/m 2 /year) respectively. The results show that Binalood has available great wind energy potential for grid connection system. Ó 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Global climate change and increasing worldwide demand for electricity requires need for harnessing different kinds of renew- able energies like wind energy in many countries in the world including Iran. The climate change challenge could become a force for good in humanity. This challenge is about programming, co- operation, planning ahead and thinking of the complex intercon- nectedness of social, economic, political, cultural and environ- mental systems [1]. Global warming and climate change are the most critical issues facing the world today [2]. Interest has recently risen toward renewable energy (RE) sources especially wind energy for electricity generation in many countries. Countries have tried to accelerate solutions for wind energy generation design parameters [3]. Electrical power generation by wind turbines grew during the second half of the 20th century and oil price rises in the 1970s promoted intense interest in its value as a fuel-free, renewable energy source in many European and north American countries [4]. The main purpose of this article is to estimate the wind energy potential of the Binalood region in Iran. For this purpose, the collected wind data from the location should be properly analyzed and interpreted. Usually, long-term hourly or three hourly wind data from the meteorological site can be used for the analysis. Collected wind speed data should be carefully extrapolated to represent the wind profile of the site. Feasibility study is the first step for knowing whether a location is suitable or not. Second step is to do a field wind speed measurement for short period of time which is usually one year. Clearly, one year wind speed data is sufficient to represent the long-term variations in the wind profile within an accuracy level of 10 percent [5e7]. For this study, only the primary step was done to estimate the wind potential of Binalood. Iran joined the group of countries which were using wind energy for electricity production in 1994. As reported by Fadai [8], the construction of first wind power station (the 25 MW and 60 MW power stations at Manjil) began in Iran in 2003. At the present time, Manjil and Binalood wind farms are two major wind sites in Iran. Recently, about 0.17 percent of Iran’s required * Corresponding author. Tel.: þ98 351 821 2001, þ98 913 251 3751. E-mail address: mostafaei@yazduni.ac.ir (A. Mostafaeipour). Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect Renewable Energy journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/renene 0960-1481/$ e see front matter Ó 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2012.10.030 Renewable Energy 52 (2013) 222e229