The global wind resource

Here is a great graphic I have seen in several conference presentations lately, that I have finally found the public source for - a Risø report Risø-I-1206. It's the rough presentation of results of what was called the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis, which hind-casted the global wind energy flux at 2.5 degree resolution. Of course the analysis is very course (2.5 degrees is about 250km), and does not take into account local or seasonal influences. Nor does it, as a hind-casting model, take into consideration any global climate change influences. Nonetheless, it is a great way to put things in perspective.

On a basic level, the one thing that really jumps out at you is the polarity of the energy resource. The norther hemisphere is dominated by the 30-60 degree northern Atlantic and Pacific cyclonic activity, and the southern 30-60 degree westerlies known as the 'roaring 40s'. The equatorial monsoon of south east Asia also stands out.

From a wind resource perspective, this shows some general trends in good potential wind areas:

• Roaring 40s. The richest energy resources of them all are the roaring 40s. the southern areas of Australia, New Zealand, and south America. Some really great wind resources there. Considering this was the primary source of energy for Europe's colonisation and trade development of the Pacific, there has been a relatively slow development of this considerable energy resource. Outstanding global potential.
  
• Northern Atlantic cyclonic. Most of northern Europe and the UK; north-western coasts of France and Spain, and the north-east coastal areas of the US and Canada. The European side of the Atlantic is the wind industry's locus at the moment, however the north-east US has great potential.
  
• Northern Pacific cyclonic. Japan, Korea and the eastern coast of China; the Pacific north-west of the US. Probably the fastest growing wind energy market today and for the forseeable future. Major challenges with estimating extreme wind speeds for cyclone-prone areas.
  
• Monsoonal. the southern tip of India, Thailand, the Philippines, and suprisingly the Somali coast. Southern India has been the center of tremendous wind energy growth lately, particuarly in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, however other development in the region is relatively slow to non-existent. Again extreme wind speed prediction, amongst others, is a major inhibitor to development here.
  

It would be interesting to plot this global flux against local and seasonal weather effects which could give a general understanding of the global wind resource and the potential for wind energy projects. A future project there!

For wide-scale integration of wind energy the challenge of spatial separation of the population from the wind resource is key. Getting the harvested wind energy to the consumer logically requires major infrastructure investment for power transmission. Totally blue sky, however imagine the potential of windfarms on the Heard and McDonald islands (or even offshore farms) in the southern Indian ocean transmitting power throughout the region. The energy is there, it just requires the business impetus and technical innovation to bring it to market.