1. Potential zones for offshore wind power development in the Gulf of Mexico using reanalyses data and capacity factor seasonal analysis.
- Author
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Canul-Reyes, D.A., Rodríguez-Hernández, O., and Jarquin-Laguna, A.
- Subjects
WIND power ,FACTOR analysis ,EXTREME weather ,TROPICAL cyclones ,ENERGY development ,WIND speed - Abstract
Mexico is an attractive candidate for offshore wind energy development due to its geographical location with extensive coasts in the Pacific Ocean and Mexico's Gulf. Although potential offshore wind areas have been geographically assessed, an evaluation of the seasonal variations of the capacity factors has not been considered for the feasibility of the locations. This research identifies potential zones for offshore wind development in the Gulf of Mexico, implementing geographical restrictions such as the Economic Exclusive Zone, distance from the coast, protected areas, bathymetry, and capacity factor seasonality. Wind speeds were obtained from 39 years of reanalyses historical data and two reference wind turbines of 5 and 10 MW were included in the analysis. Three potential areas were identified from the results: the northeast Tamaulipas, the western Campeche, and the northern Yucatan. Monthly mean capacity factors above 45% were estimated from October to June, with the maximum values near 60% between March and April. Conversely, minimum values were observed from July to September but consistently higher than 30%. The analyzed zones show suitable technical conditions for offshore wind development. Further analysis is needed to validate the wind speed conditions, in addition to the evaluation of economic factors, the study of extreme weather conditions like tropical cyclones as well as characteristics in the intertropical region. • Potential zones for offshore wind development in the Gulf of Mexico are identified. • Results rely on 39 years of wind data from reanalysis models and spatial restrictions. • Monthly capacity factors are used for the seasonal analysis of selected locations. • The highest wind resources are located at the northwest and southeast Gulf of Mexico. • Monthly mean capacity factors estimated for the regions are between 25 and 60%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
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