The generation of a wind atlas for South Africa is a joint undertaking between the South African Weather Service (SAWS), Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), CSAG and international collaborators at Risoe, part of the Danish Technical University. The project has been made possible by the Royal Danish Embassy, the United Nations Development Programme, the South African Wind Energy Programme and the South African National Energy Research Institute.
The projects is divided into a number of work packages which include an observations campaign, high resolution as well as microscale modeling, extreme wind climate assessment, wind climate assessment techniques as well as data dissemination. The cumulative objective of these efforts is to generate a very high resolution wind atlas for South Africa to provide stakeholders with knowledge allowing them to make informed decisions. CSAG is involved in the mesoscale modelling component where the WRF model has been used to produce the first ever verified numerical wind atlas in the world. WASA phase 1 has produced the atlas for the western and southern parts of South Africa and WASA Phase 2 will do the same for the eastern and central parts of the country.
Time frames: 2009-2013
Funder: Danish Embassy and Global Environment Facility
Partners: South African National Energy Development Institute, South African Weather Service (SAWS), Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Danish Technological University
For further details: See the WASA website or contact Dr Chris Lennard
