Since 1996 the Eritrean Department of Energy has been conducting a wind prospecting and wind survey program that has employed a variety of tactics to find and evaluate wind energy sites with high potential. This program has included occasional spot measurements at a variety of locations both in the Eritrean highlands and along the coast. Some sites have been visited only occasionally due to either their remote location, or lack of promise, while for other sites nearly continuous monitoring has begun. The locations subject to spot measurements are described in the Table B1.
Name | Latitude | Longitude |
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Adi Tekelezan (hill) | 15º 35´N | 38º 45´ E |
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Debresina (pass) | 15º 44´N | 38º 43´ E |
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Dekemhare (pass) | 15º 04´N | 39º 04´ E |
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Ma'ereba | 15º 02´N | 39º 08´ E |
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Nefasit (pass) | 15º 21´N | 39º 03´ E |
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Wara (hill) | 15º 37´N | 38º 47´ E |
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Aseb Telecom
(@ 40m & hill) |
13º 02´ N | 42º 40´ E |
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Rahayta | 12º 44´ N | 43º 09´ E |
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Salasegna (hill) | 13º 04´ N | 42º 43´ E |
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Saroyta | 14º 25´ N | 41º 19´ E |
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Tio | 14º 40´ N | 40º 57´ E |
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Of these sites, most have been visited only occasionally. Very approximate estimates of mean annual wind speeds are indicated by the '~' sign. These values are usually determined by comparison with wind speeds at Asmera where the mean wind annual wind speed is measured to be 3 m/s at 10 m height. Unless indicated otherwise, the sites are flat, and measurements are at 10 m height.
Several sites have had wind odometers installed, including Debresina,
Wara, Aseb Telecommunications Tower, Rahayta, and Salasegna. For those
sites, more precise estimates can be made based on measurements taken from
June 1997 to January 1998. To make these estimates, the months are grouped
into a summer monsoon season and a winter monsoon season. Averages are
taken for each of the monsoon seasons, and a weighted average of the monsoon
averages is used to estimate the mean annual wind speed. These measurements
indicated that sites with mean annual wind speeds of above 5.5 m/s at 10
meters can be found in highland passes where there is channeling of the
monsoon winds. This indicates that there are probably sites with mean speeds
of 6-7.5 m/s at turbine hub heights of 30 meters, and that feasible sites
for utility-scale wind power development may exist at selected locations
in the Eritrean Highlands.