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Wind energy potential in Tamil Nadu India: Prediction and mapping using GIS
Mapping and GIS
GIS mapping method was used to map the wind power of the 18 different locations randomly distributed in Tamil Nadu. GIS package MapInfo was used to digitize the necessary layers of Tamil Nadu and to geocode the 18 wind power stations for this study. Using the predictors obtained from Gamma distribution, thematic maps were prepared for seasonality on monsoon scale and wind speed/power. All the 18 stations in Tamil Nadu were selected to prepare wind power maps for different monsoon seasons. The data were classified into four ranges namely High, Moderate, Low and Very low for each season and mapped using GIS package MAPINFO. An overall map of Gamma distribution for wind power was first prepared. Three stations namely Coimbatore, Kanyakumari and Tuticorin were found to have high wind power with values ranging from 51 to 82.4 (W/m2 ). In the moderate ranges four stations namely Pamban, Karaikal, Nagapattinum & Pondicherry were found at a range of 29.0 to 50.99 W/m2. The low range consisted of six stations (Palayamkottai, Kodaikanal, Madurai, Tiruchirapalli, Cuddalore, Meenampakkam) at a range 12.0 to 28.99 W/m2. The very low wind power was observed at Nungampakkam, Vellore, Mettur and Ooty (stations), which come in the range 2.0 to 11.99 W/m2 (Map 1). In the Pre-monsoon map of wind power, the values were classified into four ranges. In the high range from 39 to 64 W/m2, three stations namely Tuticorin, Kanyakumari and Pondicherry were seen. In the moderate range of 19to 38 W/m2 four stations were observed. In the low range six stations ranging from 9 to 18 W/m2 were observed. The very low range of 0.8 to 8.0 W/m2 of the Pre-monsoon wind power consisted of five stations (Map 2). In the monsoon season, three stations (Kanyakumari, Coimbatore, Tuticorin) recorded the high wind power whereas five stations recorded low wind power, which are Ooty, Mettur, Vellore, Nungampakkam and Cuddalore (Map3). 
On comparison of the Pre-monsoon wind power map with the monsoon wind power map, it was observed that Tiruchirapalli of Pre-monsoon low range had shifted to monsoon high range and Pondicherry had shifted from the high range to the low range. In the post monsoon season 4 stations namely Pamban, Tuticorin, Kanyakumari and Pondicherry recorded the highest wind power and five stations namely Ooty, Mettur, Vellore, Meenampakkam and Adirampattinam recorded the lowest wind power (Map 4). On comparison of the percentage of the Gamma with the three monsoons, it was observed that the monsoon season recorded a high of 10.14% and the lowest recorded as 2.90% at post monsoon season. The highest wind power was recorded as 192.56% at Coimbatore stations in the monsoon season. Tuticorin and Kanyakumari remained in the high range throughout the year. On similar comparison with the other ranges, it was observed that there was a constant shift among the moderately low stations. In the very low range, Ooty, Vellore and Mettur remained constant throughout the year. Constant shift was observed in the other 12 stations during the change of season. |