Assessment and Utilization of Wind Power in Kenya – A Review

Abstract

Wind energy is one form of free renewable resource that is being vigorously pursued by many countries of the world including Kenya. It is a cheap, clean and non-polluting energy sources that may finally be used to replace the expensive fossil fuels. Any plans to develop wind energy must begin by understanding the wind resource of the region, which involves trying to determine sites with the best wind energy potential in the region. A national wind resource assessment and mapping should indicate whether or not a country has the potential to utilize the wind energy. One of the crucial information needed when evaluating the wind energy potential of any given area or site is a reliable wind resource data, that is. surface wind speed and direction from a number of well distributed stations in the region. The data used in this study is hourly wind speed and direction for the period 1995 to 2000 over Kenya. The presentation given in this report is an attempt to provide an insight into the wind energy resource of Kenya. Maps of the spatial patterns of the average wind speeds and wind power densities, prevailing wind directions, frequency distribution of the wind speed including seasonal variability for some selected stations are presented. It is hoped that such information may be of benefit to a broad crosssection of users including government planners, private wind energy developers among many others. These products will therefore enable users to make informed decisions regarding the wind resource in Kenya