Wind Data Logging and Validation Using Telecommunication Base Station Infrastructure

Abstract

Meteorological stations form the basic units for the existing wind monitoring network in Kenya. Siting of a typical Greenfield mobile telecommunication Base Station (BS) has traditionally followed similar principles to siting a conventional meteorological station. The current BS is however more secure containing passive infrastructure including tower, stable power supply and provides stable wireless connectivity which are critical components for a functional wind monitoring station. The validity of wind data logged utilizing the existing mobile infrastructure is investigated here. Wind monitoring instrumentation is set up on Kibiko BS similar to the one at Kibiko meteorological station and data is collected in parallel from both stations and analysed. Results indicate similar wind roses and time series with a correlation coefficient of 0.87 for a month’s data between the two stations. Regression analysis on collected data returns a roughness class of 3.4 against a value of about 3 obtained through using existing literature. Results are strongly indicative that through simple application of existing literature existing BTS stations could provide complete infrastructure to log wind data as valid as a conventional meteorological station.