Malaysia - Study on Sabah wind power potential

A professional wind mapping survey under way throughout Sabah should soon identify specific sites where wind power potentials can be tapped. Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation officials together with wind power engineers have been making the field rounds, especially in Kudat. Their interest in Kudat is based on a Nasa wind chart which indicated a pattern of consistent winds in the tip of Sabah.

With rapidly increasing efficiency of wind turbines, its potential for electricity generation looks "promising," some engineers believe. Sirim Division on Renewable Energy officials were among the survey tours which actually began in October last year and repeated twice recently. The initial interest is focused mainly on identifying possible sites to start four pilot monitoring stations to determine the wind speed and power density.

"With respect to this, the Sabah Environmental Protection Association (Sepa) is proud to announce that one of the leading professional service providers in macro (5km x 5km) and micro (40km x 40km) high resolution wind mapping - Hermesrns Sdn. Bhd, has already initiated the ground work," said Sepa President Wong Tack. "The objective is to accurately predict the complex wind regime found in Sabah which is not clear up until now," he said.

"Sepa feels that a professional wind mapping survey must first be carried out not only in Kota Marudu but also Kudat and throughout Sabah once and for all before turbines are put in place," Wong said. Wong lauded recent positive statements from both Datuk Max Ongkili - Federal Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation and also Datuk Masidi Manjun - State Minister for Culture, Tourism and Environment on the wind energy.

"Sepa is delighted to hear that wind energy is being considered as a alternative source for power generation at this point in time," he said. "At the same time, careful and proper study to understand landscape features, wind channels and velocity to know how winds flow as well as potential impediments such as trees and hills will make all the difference," Wong said.

Ongkili had said earlier that the idea of setting up a pilot windmill project initiative was to study the potential of wind power for isolated communities. Wong noted there were similar pilot wind power projects in the past in a remote spot in Sabah which didn't work because of the lack of proper studies.

"This is why we believe proper professional wind mapping is important," Wong insisted. He said once the proper studies had been done, microscale modeling, high resolution colour wind speed and power density maps will be drawn up for the study region. The wind map results will identify regions where wind turbines would function and those that are unlikely.

"Sepa will then be able to use these wind speed and power density maps to assist in the designation of a potential site boundary," Wong said. "Hermesns can then use it together the results of the microscale modeling to undertake a pre-feasibility analysis to design a wind farm site that tally with the potential generation capacity," he argued.

For more information, please contact Trevor Sievert at ts@windfair.net