TECHNO-ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT OF OFFSHORE WIND ENERGY PROSPECTIVE ALONG THE LIBYANCOAST

This study assesses the potential of offshore wind as an energy source in Libya and develops a comprehensive database of wind resources.Meteorological data from the RETScreen Clean Energy Management Software program was used to analyze wind energy characteristics and generate wind energy at selected locations with a height of 10 m and a depth of 50 m.The study found that Derna had the highest wind speed, while the Ajdabiya and Benghazi sites consistently had the lowest average wind speeds.The study found that the collective energy potential in shallow waters along the Libyan shore constitutes about 13% and 45% of the existing renewable and wind energy capacity, with an estimated technical capacity of 339 GW/h.The results indicate the shallow seas of Derna, Tobruk, and Misrata are ideal for offshore wind energy development due to their abundant wind resources and low energy costs, with average costs ranging from $100 to 400 $/MWh.