The Wind Atlas for South Africa (WASA) Phase 3 project, which anchored the development of wind resource mapping-capacity, reached completion at the end of 2021, says energy research institution South African National Energy Development Institute GM Dr Karen Surridge.

The objective in all phases of the WASA project was to employ quantitative ground measured wind resource and modelling methods to assess the wind resource across South Africa. This is designed to support industry and government in the planning and rollout of large-scale exploitation of wind power in South Africa, she notes.

WASA provides valuable information when considering applications in at least two areas: assisting, through providing accurate wind resource data, when developing large grid-connected wind farms, and providing more accurate wind resource data to identify potential off-grid electrification opportunities.

WASA phases have provided insight into the potential that wind holds for power generation across South Africa, namely Phase 1 in the Western Cape, Phase 2 in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, and Phase 3 in northern KwaZulu-Natal, the Cape and inland.

Surridge adds that WASA is available in the public domain – http://www.wasaproject.info – to assist developers in accessing high resolution data regarding calculated, extreme-wind statistics and the measurements of ground availability; it also forms the basis for determining the initial viability of wind power projects.

“Accurate and thorough monitoring, conducted by the WASA team of technical experts, of wind resource potential at identified sites is a critical factor in the siting of wind turbines, thus narrowing the site selection for potential developers,” she comments.

Owing to thorough monitoring, the WASA team has developed PyWAsP – a new modelling software that replaced the previous Frogfoot modelling software used in previous phases of the project. This software extends each of the datasets with additional functionality included by WAsP and WEng.