Calculating Wind Power Density in the Iraqi Coastal Region

Wind energy is a significant renewable resource due to its low cost, environmental friendliness, and high-efficiency level. This study examines the impact of wind speed and direction on wind energy in the coastal region of Iraq. The wind rose used to determine the frequency of wind direction and wind speed in Basra City. The data was collected from the Al-Faw Grand Port station for the years 2016- 2022. The study found that the dominant wind direction is northwesterly, sometimes southeast. Additionally, the maximum wind speed during winter in May and October exceeds 19 m/s. The wind power density was computed and influenced mainly, which is mostly influenced by the wind speed. When discussing the average monthly data for wind speed and WPD, June had the highest average monthly WPD value, reaching 390.5 W/m², with an average monthly wind speed of 7.5 m/s. This was due to the presence of many days with high values of wind speed during the month. The relationship between WPD and wind speed is positive, meaning that as wind speed increases, WPD also increases. At higher wind speeds, wind power density can reach very high or sometimes low values, depending on the frequency of high wind speed values. The wind power density at the study area considers unsuitable for energy production at 6m height and maybe better at higher elevation.