The specification of a small commercial wind energy conversion system for the South African Antarctic Research Base SANAE IV

[摘要] The sustainability and economy of the current South African National AntarcticExpedition IV (SANAE IV) base diesel-electric power system are threatened bythe current high fuel prices and the environmental pollution reduction obligations.This thesis presents the potential technical, environmental and economicalchallenges associated with the integration of small wind energy conversion system(WECS) with the current SANAE IV diesel fuelled power system. Criteriaderived from technical, environmental and economic assessments are applied inthe evaluation of eight commercially available wind turbines as to determine themost technically and economically feasible candidates.Results of the coastal Dronning Maud Land and the local Vesleskarvet coldclimate assessments based on long term meteorological data and field data arepresented. Field experiments were performed during the 2007-2008 australsummer. These results are applied in the generation of a wind energy resourcemap and in the derivation of technical wind turbine evaluation criteria.The SANAE IV energy system and the electrical grid assessments performed arebased on long term fuel consumption records and 2008 logged data. Assessmentresults led to the identification of SANAE IV specific avoidable wind turbine gridintegration issues. Furthermore, electro-technical criteria derived from theseresults are applied in the evaluation of the eight selected wind turbines.Conceptual wind turbine integration options and operation modes are alsosuggested.Wind turbine micro-siting incorporating Vesleskarvet specific climatological,environmental and technical related issues are performed. Issues focusing on windturbine visual impact, air traffic interference and the spatial Vesleskarvet winddistribution are analysed. Three potential sites suited for the deployment of asingle or, in the near future, a cluster of small wind turbines are specified.Economics of the current SANAE IV power system based on the South Africaneconomy (May 2008) are analysed. The life cycle economic impact associatedwith the integration of a small wind turbine with the current SANAE IV powersystem is quantified. Results of an economic sensitivity analysis are used topredict the performance of the proposed wind-diesel power systems. All windturbines initially considered will recover their investment costs within 20 yearsand will yield desirable saving as a result of diesel fuel savings, once integratedwith the SANAE IV diesel fuelled power system.Finally, results of the technical and economical evaluation of the selectedcommercially available wind turbines indicated that the Proven 6 kWrated, Bergey10 kWrated and Fortis 10 kWrated wind turbines are the most robust and will yieldfeasible savings.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University