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Potential of On-Shore Wind Power in the Coastal Areas of Balochistan,

Pakistan

Article  in  Wind Engineering · March 2010

DOI: 10.1260/0309-524X.34.2.167

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Potential of On-Shore Wind Power in the Coastal Areas
of Balochistan, Pakistan
by

Khanji Harijan, Mohammad A. Uqaili, Mujeebuddin Memon, Umar K. Mirza

R EPRINTED FROM

WIND ENGINEERING
VOLUME 34, N O . 2, 2010

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W IND E NGINEERING VOLUME 34, N O . 2, 2010 PP 167–179 167

Potential of On-shore Wind Power in the Coastal

Areas of Balochistan, Pakistan
Khanji Harijana,*, Mohammad A. Uqailib, Mujeebuddin Memona, Umar K. Mirzac
aDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Mehran University of Engineering and
Technology, Jamshoro 76062, Pakistan
bDepartment of Electrical Engineering, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology,

Jamshoro 76062, Pakistan

cPakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, P.O. Nilore, Islamabad 45650, Pakistan

ABSTRACT
Balochistan province has about 800 km long coastline whose continental shelf extends to a
distance of 15–40 km. Pakistan Meteorological Department has recorded wind speed for two
years at 22 on-shore locations at 10 m and 30 m heights and estimated at 50 m height using
power law. The wind duration availability in terms of numbers of hours the wind remained
in a particular bin was also calculated by constructing the wind rose diagrams. The mean
value of two years has been estimated and used in this study for the construction of wind
duration curves for 20 selected locations. Using wind duration curves and Nordex N43/600
wind turbine as reference turbine, theoretical wind power potential at these locations has
been estimated. The geographical potential has been estimated considering population
density and excluding low wind areas. Finally, the technical potential has been estimated.
The theoretical potential at most of the sites is in the range of 1000–1400 full load hours per
year. The suitable area for wind turbine installation has been estimated as 7,700 km2. The
annual technical potential of centralized grid connected wind power in the coastal area of
Balochistan has been estimated as 42.5 TWh, which is about half of the current gross
electricity generation in Pakistan.

Keywords: Wind energy; Wind power potential; Wind duration curve; Wind farms; Coastal
areas; Pakistan.

1. INTRODUCTION
Balochistan lies between 24°55’ & 32°14’ latitude and 61°00’ & 70°15’ longitude and is the largest
province of Pakistan in terms of area, covering 347.19 thousand km2. The province has about
800 km long coastline whose continental shelf extends to a distance of 15–40 km. The province
has a population of around 8 million, of which about 76% lives in rural areas [1–2]. Majority of
the Balochistan’s rural population still have no access to electricity and mostly use kerosene
for lighting purpose. Balochistan consumes about 4.1 TWh/year (2008) of electricity [3],
which is only 5.6% of the total electricity consumption in the country. Per capita yearly
electricity consumption in the province is only 490 kWh.

*Corresponding author.
Tel.: +92-22-2653821; Fax: +92-22-2772196. E-mail address: khanji1970@yahoo.com
168 P OTENTIAL OF O N -S HORE W IND P OWER IN THE C OASTAL A REAS OF B ALOCHISTAN , PAKISTAN

Nuclear
3.2%

Hydro
30.0%

Gas
34.4%

Coal
0.1%
Oil
32.2%

Figure 1: Conventional power generation by source in Pakistan: 2007–08 [3].

In Pakistan, about 66.5% of the total conventional electricity is generated from fossil fuels.
Fig. 1 shows the contribution of different energy sources in the total conventional electricity
generation (95.86 TWh) in the country [3]. The contribution of renewable energy sources
excluding hydropower is negligible.
The electricity demand in Pakistan has seen increase right from its inception in 1947, due to
rapid urbanization and industrialization, increase in per capita income, improvement in living
standard and rural electrification. The electricity generation has increased by 7.5% per annum
during the last 30 years [4]. Pakistan is facing severe load shedding/blackout problems due to
shortage of about 3 GW power supply [5]. Future power demand has been projected to grow
at 7–11% per annum [4]. For meeting this growing electricity demand, additional capacity of
more than 5 GW per year would be needed.
The recoverable reserves of indigenous fossil fuels in Pakistan are shown in Table 1 [3].
With the present rate of production, the indigenous recoverable reserves of oil and gas will get
exhausted in 13 and 18 years respectively. Though there is huge coal potential (185 billion
tonnes) in the country [3], but it has not been utilized so far due to various reasons. The
prospects of nuclear energy are pretty bright in Pakistan but high cost, technology barriers
and international embargoes are the big hurdles in its course [4]. This shows that conventional
non-renewable energy resources are grossly inadequate for meeting the future energy needs
of the country.

Table 1: Fossil fuel resources of Pakistan: 2007–08 [3]

Recoverable Reserves Production RPRa
Source (MTOE) (MTOE) (Years)
Oil 43.83 3.435 12.76
Gas 551.22 29.873 18.45
Coal 6707.9 1.845 3635.77
Measured: 1477.8
Indicated: 5230.1
Total 7302.95 35.153 207.75
aReserves to production ratio.
W IND E NGINEERING VOLUME 34, N O . 2, 2010 169

Table 2: GHG emissions (thousand tonnes) for energy by sector in Pakistan-2000 [9]
Direct GHG emissions Indirect GHG emissions
Sector CO2 CH4 N2O NOx CO NMVOC SO2
Power generation 27252.37 0.18 0.03 27.49 3.51 0.88 349.49
Industrial 21895.40 1.83 0.19 68.82 18.18 2.95 233.55
Transport 25082.81 2.45 0.23 257.39 709.21 136.80 63.98
Commercial 2270.83 16.84 0.04 7.09 279.21 33.50 1.52
Domestic 8771.49 1322.60 9.15 616.82 40704.12 1117.40 189.66
Agriculture 791.90 0.05 0.01 12.96 10.80 12.16 1.49
Fugitive emissions – 400.82 – 0.39 0.59 8.61 8.85
Total 86064.79 1343.95 9.84 990.57 41725.03 1293.69 839.69

The indigenous production of oil in Pakistan has not coped with the requirements and the
country remains heavily dependent on its import. Pakistan meets about 28% of its annual
primary commercial energy needs (about 90% of oil demand) from imported oil by spending
about US$12 billion [3]. The oil import bill is expected to increase in future because of
increasing oil demand and rising prices in international markets. The oil import bill is a serious
strain on the country’s economy and has been deteriorating the balance of payment situation.
Pakistan is becoming increasingly more dependent on a few sources of supply and its energy
security often hangs on the fragile imported oil that is subject to supply disruptions and price
volatility. With its attendant risks to energy security, it is necessary to reduce reliance on oil to
achieve a stable energy supply.
The extraction, transportation, conversion and consumption of fossil fuels also result in air
pollution and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which is a major energy related
environmental problem of the present time. Air pollution and GHG emissions has severe
negative effects on human beings, crops, livestock (or ambient bio-system in general) and
global climate [6–8]. Table 2 presents the results of the preliminary inventory of GHG for the
energy sector in Pakistan during 1999-2000 [9]. Major portions of GHG emissions came from
power, transport, and industrial sectors, which are the main users of fossil fuels. Power
generation sector has 31.7% and 41.7% share in total energy related CO2 and SO2 emission.
Conservative estimates presented in the World Bank report suggest that environmental
degradation costs the country at least 6% of GDP, or about Rs. 365 billion per year [7]. The
environmental damage cost is not included in the prices of fossil fuels, but this is paid for by
people either directly or indirectly through taxes, health expenditures, insurance premiums,
and through reduced quality of living. In other words, today fossil fuels are heavily subsidized.
In order to address these issues, it is of paramount importance to develop clean, renewable
energy sources at competitive costs. Wind power is one of the alternatives which can meet
the growing energy demand of the country at competitive costs and without degrading the
environment [4, 10–12]. This paper presents an assessment of on-shore centralized grid
connected (CGC) wind power potential in the coastal areas of Balochistan, Pakistan.

2. WIND ENERGY DEVELOPMENT IN PAKISTAN

Pakistan has been slow in adopting the wind energy technology. Two units of 1 and 10 kW
electric supply have been installed in Balochistan and Sindh respectively. In the year 2002,
14 small wind turbines, six of 500 W each and eight of 300 W each, were procured from China
and installed by Pakistan Council of Renewable Energy Technologies (PCRET) for
demonstration purpose. Out of these, eight were installed in the coastal belt of Balochistan and
six in the coastal area of Sindh. Recently, PCRET has installed 120 more micro wind turbines in
the coastal areas of Balochistan and Sindh [12–13].
170 P OTENTIAL OF O N -S HORE W IND P OWER IN THE C OASTAL A REAS OF B ALOCHISTAN , PAKISTAN

Pakistan Council of Appropriate Technology has installed more than two dozens imported
and locally made windmills for pumping water at many locations in Sindh and Balochistan. A
local manufacturer, Merin LTD, Karachi is making windmills that lift 10,000–22,000 gallons of
water per day from a depth of 70 feet. The manufacturer claims to have exported windmills
and installed 24 of these locally [12].
Empower Consultants of New Zealand have completed a community-owned and
managed wind-diesel hybrid electrification project in Durgai village, District Sibi, Balochistan.
The system comprising 7.5 kW wind turbine, 500 W solar panels with a back-up diesel
generator and 125 kWh battery bank was commissioned in September 2003 [12]. Ministry of
Environment initiated a project entitled Commercialization of Wind Power Potential in
Pakistan. The town of Pasni along Makran coast of Balochitsan was selected for this study.
Wind speed measurements were started in early 2002 and continued for 20 months. This
project later became part of a new comprehensive project named Sustainable Development
of Utility-scale Wind Power Production, Phase 1. The main aim of this project is to support and
strengthen relevant government organizations in the collection and dissemination of
bankable wind data. A demonstration hub-height wind mast (80 m high) has been erected
near Jamshoro, Sindh, and real-time wind speed data is being collected via GSM satellite
network. Three software tools have been procured, including WAsP (Risø, Denmark),
WindPRO (EMD, Denmark) and GH Wind Farmer (GH, UK) for wind resource assessment.
Wind sites suitable for wind data collection and further exploration of potential have been
identified in Sindh and Punjab. If the outcomes of Phase 1 are positive, then Phase 2 would be
initiated. In Phase 2, a 15 MW wind farm would be developed over a 3 year period, which would
be connected to the isolated small Makran grid [14–16].
PCRET has planned to electrify about 100 coastal villages of Balochistan and Sindh
province using wind turbines with a net capacity of 2 MW up to the year 2010. The
Government of Pakistan has given targets to Alternative Energy Development Board
(AEDB), to install 700 MW wind power by the year 2010. The target for 2030 is at least 9.7 GW,
which would be 5% of the total planned national power generation capacity at that time
[3, 17–18]. The AEDB has initiated a program for the installation of 100 MW wind farm at Gharo-
Keti Bandar site in the coastal area of Sindh. The AEDB has so far issued 94 letters of intent
(LOIs) to private wind investors for 50 MW capacity sites (equivalent to 4.7 GW). Twenty-five
of these private wind investors have been allocated land by the provincial government. Only
eight companies have completed feasibility studies and have received generation licenses
from National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA). M/s Zorlue Enerji Pakistan Ltd.
(Turkey) is the only investor who has installed the first wind farm of Pakistan of 6 MW
capacity (5 wind turbines of 1.2 MW) at Jhampir Thatta, Sindh. The wind farm was
inaugurated by the Prime Minister of Pakistan on 19th of May 2009 [19].
A number of studies have been carried out to estimate the potential of wind energy in
Pakistan. Nasir et al [20] and Nasir and Raza [21] have examined the wind energy potentials in
Balochistan, Pakistan using 3-hourly wind data from 16 stations scattered all over the
province. Nasir et al [22] have assessed the distribution of wind power resource over Pakistan
by drawing monthly and yearly contour maps. Nasir and Raza [23] have estimated the
potential of wind power in Peshwar, Pakistan. Khan [24] has prepared a report on wind
mapping of Pakistan. Ahmed et al [25] have assessed the wind power potential for four
selected coastal areas of Pakistan (Karachi, Ormara, Jivani and Pasni) using the wind speed
data of six years (1995–2000). All these studies have used the data of wind speed recorded by
Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) at various observatories/airports. This data was
recorded manually at 2-10 m anemometer heights and on 3-hourly basis at most of the
W IND E NGINEERING VOLUME 34, N O . 2, 2010 171

observatories. This data was unreliable and insufficient for assessing the technical potential
and feasibility of wind power projects. Hence, the results of all these studies are also unreliable
and are not useful.
PMD has conducted the yet most-detailed study of the wind resource potential in the on-
shore coastal areas of Balochistan and Sindh provinces. Ministry of Science and Technology,
Government of Pakistan provided the required funding for this project. PMD set up
45 measuring stations across the two provinces for this 24-month study [26]. At all these
locations, two wind speed anemometers were installed at the height of 10 m and 30 m,
respectively. Automatic data loggers, developed locally, were installed to record one-minute
average wind speed at both levels, five-minute average wind direction and 10-minute average
minimum and maximum wind speed. We have used this data in this study for the assessment
of on-shore CGC wind potential in the costal area of Balochistan.

3. DESCRIPTION OF THE DATA USED

PMD has measured and recorded the wind speed and direction at different on-shore locations
in the coastal areas of Balochistan under Wind Mapping Project funded by Ministry of Science
and Technology, Government of Pakistan in 2002. Fig. 2 shows the different on-shore locations
in the coastal area of Balochistan where the wind speed has been measured and recorded by
PMD [26]. At all these locations, 30 m high towers were erected. On each of these towers, two
wind speed anemometers were installed at the height of 10 m and 30 m, respectively; wind
vane for recording wind direction was installed at 30 m height. Temperature sensors were also
installed at 10 m height. Automatic data loggers developed locally were installed to record
data at each site. These data loggers have recorded one-minute average wind speed at both
levels, five-minute average wind direction and 10-minute average minimum and maximum
wind speed. Every month a team of observers and maintenance engineers visited these sites
to inspect the instruments and to download the data on a laptop. Finally, the data was
compiled and analyzed at Renewable Energy Research Cell established at Meteorological
Complex, Karachi, Pakistan [27].

Wind Mapping Project - Pakistan Meteorological Department

Figure 2: Wind mapping locations of coastal area of Balochistan. (source: www.met.gov.pk)

172 P OTENTIAL OF O N -S HORE W IND P OWER IN THE C OASTAL A REAS OF B ALOCHISTAN , PAKISTAN

Table 3: Data recording period for different stations [27]

Station Data Period
Hubchoki, Managi Mar 2002–Feb 2004
Gawadar June 2002–May 2004
Gaddani, Liari Sept 2002 – Aug 2004
Aghore, Basol, Hoshab, Ormara, Jiwani, Pasni, Mand,
Phore, Pishukan, Winder Apr 2002–Mar 2004
Ramra, Turbat, Othal Aug 2002–July 2004
Makola May 2002–Apr 2004
Nalent Oct 2002–Sept. 2004

Average monthly wind speed at 10 m and 30 m height at all locations has been estimated
from the recorded data by PMD. Using average wind speed recorded at 30 m height, the
average monthly wind speed at 50 m height has been computed with the help of power law
[26–27].

2600
2400
2200 Gaddani Hubchoki Liari Othal Winder
2000
1800
Number of hours

1600
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
01 03 05 07 09 11 13 15 17 19 21
Wind speed (m/s)

Figure 3: Wind duration curves for Gaddani, Hubchoki, Liari, Othal and Winder.

2600
2400
2200 Aghore Managi Phore Ormara Basol
2000
1800
Number of hours

1600
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
01 03 05 07 09 11 13 15 17 19 21
Wind speed (m/s)

Figure 4: Wind duration curves for Aghore, Managi, Phore, Ormara and Basol.
W IND E NGINEERING VOLUME 34, N O . 2, 2010 173

2600
2400
2200 Pasni Ramra Hoshab Makola Nalent
2000
1800
Number of hours

1600
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
01 03 05 07 09 11 13 15 17 19 21
Wind speed (m/s)

Figure 5: Wind duration curves for Pasni, Ramra, Hoshab, Makola and Nalent.

2600
2400
2200 Jiwani Gawadar Pishukan Turbat Mand
2000
1800
Number of hours

1600
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
01 03 05 07 09 11 13 15 17 19 21
Wind speed (m/s)

Figure 6: Wind duration curves for Jiwani, Gawadar, Pishukan, Turbat and Mand.

The wind duration availability in terms of numbers of hours the wind remained in a
particular bin was also calculated by PMD by constructing the wind rose diagrams. In this
study, 20 different locations as mentioned in Table 3 have been selected. These stations cover
almost all of the coastal area of Balochistan. The data provided by PMD for these locations
have been used in this study for the estimation of potential of CGC wind power. Two years
data was available with PMD for all stations but recording periods were different as shown in
Table 3 [27].
The mean of wind duration availability in terms of numbers of hours the wind remained in
a particular bin, of two years, has been calculated and used in this study. Wind duration curves
have been constructed for all locations and are shown in Figs. 3–6 [28]. Wind duration curves
are important to know the availability of wind speed in terms of number of hours the wind
remained between certain wind speed intervals during the year. Figs. 3–6 clearly show the
locations which are suitable for CGC wind power generation.
174 P OTENTIAL OF O N -S HORE W IND P OWER IN THE C OASTAL A REAS OF B ALOCHISTAN , PAKISTAN

4. POTENTIAL OF CGC ON-SHORE WIND ENERGY

Wind energy potentials are classified into different categories. The most common ones are
theoretical potential, geographical potential, technical potential and economical potential
[29–30]. This study considers only theoretical, geographical and technical potential of CGC on-
shore wind power.

4.1. Theoretical Potential of Wind Energy

The theoretical potential of wind energy refers to the total amount of wind energy available
for extraction in defined region without consideration of availability or technological
restrictions [29]. The theoretical wind power potential can be estimated by using a reference
wind turbine and the wind duration data, in terms of number of hours wind remained between
certain wind speed intervals during the year [30–32]. We have selected a Nordex N43/600 wind
turbine as reference wind turbine for this study. The technical data of this turbine is given in
Table 4. Fig. 7 shows the power curve of N43/600 wind turbine [33].
Theoretical electricity in kilowatt-hours generated by N43/600 wind turbine per annum
can be estimated using the expression [30]:

E = ∑ f (v ) ⋅ P (v )
vco

vci
(1)

Where E is the theoretical energy output (kWh/y); f (v) is the wind frequency distribution
and P (v) is the turbine power at wind speed v. Theoretical potential in terms of full load hours
(FLH) can be estimated by dividing the theoretical electricity generated in kWh by rated

Table 4: Technical data of Nordex N43/600 wind turbine [30]

Indicator Value
Rotor diameter (m) 43
Rated output (kW) 600
Cut-in speed (m/s) 3
Rated speed (m/s) 13.5
Cut-out speed (m/s) 25
Survival speed (m/s) 70
Number of blades 3
Hub height (m) 50
Expected life (years) 20

700

600

500
Power (kW)

400

300

200

100

0
4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26
Wind speed (m/s)

Figure 7: Wind power curve for Nordex N43/600 wind turbine [30].
W IND E NGINEERING VOLUME 34, N O . 2, 2010 175

Table 5: Theoretical power produced using N43/600 wind turbine for different stations
Power Generation Turbine C.F.
Station (MWh) FLH (%)
Hubchoki 910.0 1517 17.3
Gaddani 1054.6 1758 20.1
Winder 771.3 1285 14.7
Liari 989.7 1650 18.8
Othal 685.1 1142 13.0
Phore 771.8 1287 14.7
Aghore 1101.0 1835 21.0
Ormara 825.3 1375 15.7
Managi 840.3 1400 16.0
Basol 665.7 1110 12.7
Makola 530.8 885 10.1
Hoshab 658.5 1098 12.5
Ramra 401.2 669 7.6
Pasni 654.2 1090 12.5
Nalent 355.1 592 6.8
Turbat 365.6 610 7.0
Gawadar 626.4 1044 11.9
Pishukan 592.2 987 11.3
Jiwani 754.4 1257 14.4
Mand 344.5 574 6.6

power of the turbine. The energy output for each location has been calculated and presented
in Table 5 in the form of kWh and hours of full power. Also, the turbine capacity factor (C.F.)
has been estimated by dividing the theoretical electricity generated in kWh by 8760 and the
rated capacity of wind turbine in kW [28, 34]. The estimated results are presented in Table 5.

4.2. Geographical Potential of Wind Energy

The geographical potential of wind energy is the total amount of land area available for wind
turbine installation taking geographical constraints into account. The geographical
constraints help eliminate areas not suitable for the exploitation of wind energy such as high
altitude areas, political areas (high populated cities), water areas, protected areas (forests,
national parks) and living areas. The geographical potential is expressed as [29–30]:

Gp =f ⋅ A (2)

Where Gp is the geographical potential (km2); f is the land suitability factor in fraction and
A is the total on-shore land area (km2).
Such information for coastal area of Balochistan is not readily available; hence, in the
present study, the population density is used instead. At present, the population density in the
Balochistan province is about 23 persons per km2 area [1]. The population density will
increase in future due to rise in the total population of the province. Keeping in view the
increase in population, this study considers the population density in the range of 25–50 persons
per km2 up to 2030. For a population density of 25–50 persons per km2, 70% of the land could be
used for wind turbine installations [35].
The wind power generation cost at Gawadar (1044 FLH) and Pishukan (987 FLH) sites is
half to that of the diesel oil based power generation and comparative to the furnace oil based
power generation (excluding externalities) in Pakistan [34]. It is generally assumed that
176 P OTENTIAL OF O N -S HORE W IND P OWER IN THE C OASTAL A REAS OF B ALOCHISTAN , PAKISTAN

Table 6: Geographical and technical potential of CGC wind power

Description Unit Value
Total coastal area km2 ≈22,000
Geographical potential of CGC wind power km2 7700
Estimated in installed capacity of CGC wind power GW 41.6
Average theoretical wind power potential of
feasible sites FLH 1346
Annual technical potential of CGC wind power TWh 42.5

1000 hours of full power is the feasible threshold for the exploitation of wind energy for CGC
wind farms [30, 35]. Using this assumption, it can be seen from Fig. 2 and column 3 of the Table 5
that approximately half of the coastal area of Balochistan would satisfy this condition. Hence,
about 35% of the total land area of Balochistan coastline could be considered for CGC wind
power generation [28]. The geographical potential i.e. suitable area for wind turbine
installation has been estimated using Eq. (2) and is presented in Table 6.

4.3. Technical Potential of Wind Energy

The wind power generated at the geographical potential including energy losses due to the
power density of the wind turbines and the process of generating electricity using wind
turbines (kWh/y) is called technical potential of wind energy. The technical potential is
expressed as [29]:

E =G p ⋅ ηa ⋅ ηar ⋅ D ⋅ FLH (3)

Where E is the wind energy output (kWh/y); Gp is the geographical potential (km2); ηa is
the average availability factor of the wind turbine and ηar is the wind farm array efficiency; D
is the wind power density per km2 and FLH is the full-load hours.
The availability factor (ηa) is the fraction of the FLH in a year that the wind turbine is
actually available and is set at 0.98 (allowing for repair, breakdowns etc.) [36]. The array
efficiency (ηar) is the efficiency of a total wind farm, which decreases with closer spacing due
to the interference of wind turbines. Its value is a function of turbine spacing, configuration
and size of wind farm. Indicative empirically derived values in the literature vary between
0.49 and 0.96 [37]; 0.49 for high densities (a matrix of 10 × 10 and a spacing of 4 × diameter) and
0.96 for low density wind farms (a matrix of 4 × 4 and a spacing of 10 × diameter). We assume
a fixed array efficiency of 0.90 for array of 3 × 3 wind turbines with 8 × diameter spacing [28].
For a wind farm of an array of 3 × 3 wind turbines and 8 × diameter spacing, the wind power
density will be 5.4 MW/km2 (9 wind turbines of 600 kW capacity in one km2 area). The
technical potential of CGC wind power in the coastal area of Balochistan has been estimated
using Eq. (3) and is given in Table 6.

4.4. Results and Discussion

The theoretical wind power potential at different locations has been estimated by using the
power curve of a Nordex N43/600 wind turbine and the wind duration data, in terms of
number of hours wind remained between certain wind speed intervals during the year. The
estimated energy output for each location in the form of kWh, FLH and Turbine C.F. has been
presented in Table 5 [28, 34]. We have assumed that 1000 hours of full power is the feasible
threshold for the exploitation of wind energy for CGC wind farms. The results show that about
70% of the considered locations have theoretical potential above 1000 FLH, which means that
more than half of the total coastal area of Balochistan is suitable for CGC on-shore wind farms.
W IND E NGINEERING VOLUME 34, N O . 2, 2010 177

The average theoretical potential of the locations with more than 1000 FLH is about 1346 FLH.
High values of theoretical wind power are found at Aghore, Gaddani, Liari and Hubchoki sites
whereas low values are found at Mand, Nalent, Turbat, and Ramra.
The geographical potential i.e., suitable area for wind turbine installations, has been
estimated, considering 25–50 persons per km2 population density and excluding low wind
areas, as 7700 km2. The total installed capacity has been estimated as 41.6 GW, considering
5.4 MW/km2 wind turbine density. The technical potential of CGC wind power in the coastal
area of Balochistan has been estimated as well and is given in Table 6. The technical potential
comes out to be 42.5 TWh per year, which is about half of the current total conventional power
generation in Pakistan.

5. CONCLUSION
The paper concludes that more than half of the coastal area of Balochistan is suitable for
CGC wind farms. More than two-third of the considered locations have a theoretical
potential above 1000 FLH. Aghore, Gaddani, Liari and Hubchoki sites have high values of
theoretical wind power whereas Mand, Nalent, Turbat, and Ramra have low values. The
technical potential of wind power has been estimated as 41.6 GW, which is about 2 times the
current power generation installed capacity in Pakistan. About 42.5 TWh of electricity could
be generated annually from CGC on-shore wind farms, which is about half of the current
(2008) total conventional electricity generation in Pakistan and 10 times the annual electricity
consumption in the province of Balochistan.
Wind energy is indigenous, free of cost and environment friendly and should be developed
for managing worsening energy crisis in Pakistan. The development and utilization of this
source for power generation would reduce the pressure on oil imports and deforestation,
protect the environment from pollution and improve the socio-economic conditions of the
people of Balochistan as well as of the whole country.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors wish to acknowledge the in-charge of Renewable Energy Research Cell, Pakistan
Meteorological Department, Karachi Pakistan for providing necessary data and Prof. S.
Rehman, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Saudi Arabia for his help and
cooperation. Research leading to this article has been supported by the Higher Education
Commission (http://www.hec.gov.pk) of the Government of Pakistan.

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