Wind energy deployment in Bangladesh: Investigating feasible locations and their characteristics

Wind energy is regarded as one of nature's cleanest, safest, and most durable sources of energy among renewable energy sources. Energy consumption is rising quickly in Bangladesh due to population increases and economic expansion. The article focuses on locating prospective wind energy harvesting sites in Bangladesh and investigating potential applications for them. Hence, the article utilizes 21 years of wind velocity data collected from Asia-Pacific Data-Research Center (APDRC), which website is widely used for research purposes. This study reveals that the average wind velocity at potential sites varies from 3 to 5 m/s, which is deemed appropriate for energy harvesting. Two extreme value distribution models, the Generalized Extreme Value Distribution (GEVD) and Generalized Pareto Distribution (GPD), have been applied to estimate the extreme wind velocities. These distributions make it easier to simulate the behavior of extreme situations, such as 6–14 m/s, which are crucial for wind energy production. For the chosen sites, a wind rose diagram has also been used to study the directional dispersion of the wind. During the monsoon season, the majority of the wind will blow from the southeast direction with an average frequency of 23 %. Displaying the frequency and direction of the wind for each location in this graphic is critical for designing wind turbines capable of harvesting the maximum possible energy. In addition, the study has employed machine learning (ML) methods (facebook prophet and N-HiTS) and statistical models (ARIMA and exponential smoothing) to forecast wind speed behavior to predict future wind energy harvesting. Utilizing wind energy technology offers enormous potential for meeting the energy needs of emerging nations like Bangladesh. The study offers crucial insights into locating possible wind energy production sites and investigating their effective utilization.