Vertical extrapolation of Weibull parameters and wind energy potential estimation of Himachal Pradesh, India

Wind energy is one of the fastest growing area among the other renewable energy sources due to its free availability and cost competitive nature. This paper aims to assess the wind energy potential for hilly terrain of Hamirpur located in the Western Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh, India. The hourly time series wind speed data for the year 2013 measured at 10 m height has been considered for the analysis. A two parameter (i.e., shape and scale parameter) Weibull distribution model has been used in the proposed methodology. Further, the extrapolation of Weibull parameters obtained from the Graphical Method (GM) at the different heights of 30 m, 50 m, 80 m, and 100 m from the reference height has been also illustrated. The monthly, annual, and seasonal variations in the wind speed over these different heights have been analyzed. The results have revealed that, the complex hilly terrain of Hamirpur site has good wind energy potential which encourage to harness the wind power for the applications such as rural electrification and household utility purposes in the remote areas.