WILD ENERGY RESOURCE ESTIMATION OF THE UPPER-ATMOSPHERE OVER SOUTHERNAFRICA

On the basis of daily ECMWF data over the period 1982-89, the mean sea sonal and mean annual wind energy resource fields on the isobaric surf aces 1000, 850, 700, 500, 300, 200, and 100 hPa, within the latitude-l ongitudinal zone 0 degrees-50 degrees S and 0 degrees-45 degrees E, ha ve been calculated and analyzed. Generally, maximum wind energy is rec orded on the 300-hPa surface, and the intensities are greater by about 25%-30% in winter than in summer. The greatest continental wind energ y resources are experienced over the southern tip of the southern Afri can subcontinent, where it was established that the free atmospheric r esources exceed those near the surface by at least an order of magnitu de. The two-dimensional Gaussian distribution of the wind vector has b een used to provide an indirect estimate of the wind energy resource. Good agreement between this measure and the direct estimate of wind en ergy was obtained, demonstrating the potential usefulness of the two-d imensional Gaussian distribution in estimating upper-air wind energy r esources.