Wind energy potential assessment at a repurposed coal-fired power plant site in Taiwan using LiDAR measurements and CFD modeling

Abstract The Shenao site on Taiwan’s northeastern coast, formerly occupied by a coal-fired power plant, is being considered for renewable energy development. This study presents the first systematic wind energy assessment of a repurposed power plant site in Taiwan, integrating field measurements, long-term wind data extrapolation, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. Nearly two years of Doppler LiDAR observations were collected to characterize wind speed distribution, shear exponent, turbulence intensity, and flow inclination. To extend this record, the Measure-Correlate-Predict (MCP) method with reanalysis datasets was applied to estimate long-term wind conditions. In parallel, high-resolution CFD simulations incorporating LiDAR data and local terrain were conducted to map wind fields, evaluate wind power density, and support turbine micrositing. Results indicate moderate wind potential, with a CFD-estimated wind power density of ~200 W m −2 . A preliminary layout with three Vestas V80 turbines yields an average of ~1,392 full-load hours per year and a capacity factor (CF) of 15.9%, comparable to typical onshore wind farms. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of repurposing fossil-fuel sites for wind energy and establish a transferable framework for assessing wind resources in complex terrain.