Wind Energy Potential in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia

As a part of Saudi Vision 2030 to promote the renewable energy usage and to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels, this study explored the wind energy potential in the vicinity of the capital of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Over a 20-years period (2000-2020), the wind speed data of Dhahran city were collected at a height of 10 m to evaluate their suitability for small-scale wind turbines. Data was collected at two different locations: (1) KFUPM campus, and (2) KFUPM beach. Weibull Probability Density Function was applied to model the wind speed distributions and assess the energy generation potential. The findings revealed a moderate wind energy potential in Dhahran, with peak wind speeds occurring during the summer months. June emerged as the most promising period, with an average wind speed of 3.69 m/s and a power density of 35.3 W/m2. Seasonal trends showed that summer achieved the highest average power density of 19.9 W/m2, while autumn had the lowest at approximately 5 W/m2. The monthly analysis further highlighted June and July as the ideal months for power generation, while October and November exhibited unimpressive wind potential. These results provide valuable insights into the feasibility of wind energy for small-scale applications, particularly in urban environments, such as Dhahran.