Investigation of the wind energy characteristics and power generation in Lithuania

In this article the wind flow characteristics, a current situation and future prospects of the wind energy use and power generation in Lithuania are investigated. During the last ten years the assessment of wind power resources was carried out, wind measurement data were collected and analyzed, whereas Lithuanian wind resources map was developed on the basis of the obtained results. A long-term (1945-1990) wind data for 19 meteorological stations and performed measurements in sites revealed that the most suitable region for building wind turbine (WT) of large-scale is the 10 km wide coastal strip near the Baltic Sea. Also, the investigations demonstrate that WT can be installed in the continental part of Lithuania. However, the efficiency of WT will be slightly less in the continental part as in the near-shore. The energy efficiency was evaluated by the capacity factor C-P, which was calculated for installed WT in different regions of the country. The aim of the work is to present the results of investigation of wind climate conditions in the coastal area of the Baltic Sea and other regions of Lithuania and evaluate wind energy generation in the country. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.