Energy sustainability is a pivotal factor underpinning economic development, necessitating the enhancement of Nigeria’s power generation capacity. To address this imperative, the strategy of energy diversification through the integration of renewable resources, particularly offshore wind energy, has gained prominence. This study aims to identify optimal locations for offshore wind farms in Nigeria, addressing the challenges of wind energy availability and efficient utilization.
Attributes essential for determining suitable offshore wind farm locations were gathered for three potential alternatives in Nigeria: Victoria Island in Lagos, the Koko offshore region of Warri, and Abbonema in Port-Harcourt. Wind speed data were sourced from the Nigerian Meteorological (NIMET) stations within the regions of interest. Supplementary data were obtained through a questionnaire distributed among industry professionals. The collected data were subjected to analysis using the fuzzy Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) multi-criteria evaluation tool.
Over a ten-year period, the average wind speeds for Lagos, Warri, and Port-Harcourt were recorded at 6.251 m/s, 7.294 m/s, and 7.347 m/s, respectively. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) yielded a Consistency Index of 0.1230 and a corresponding Consistency Ratio of 0.0843, reflecting the reliability of the decision-making process. The derived consistency ratio from AHP was employed to compute the requisite Criteria Weights (Cw) for the fuzzy TOPSIS analysis.
The outcomes of the TOPSIS analysis unveiled Lagos as the most advantageous option among the considered alternatives. In culmination, the cumulative assessment of the attributed factors positioned Victoria Island (Lagos) with the highest composite score of 233.6677, allocated a consideration rate of 38%. This ranking superseded Koko (Warri) and Abonnema (Port-Harcourt) with respective values of 187.7704 (30%) and 195.4378 (32%).
Through this comprehensive assessment, Victoria Island emerges as the prime candidate for offshore wind farm establishment, poised to substantially contribute to Nigeria’s renewable energy goals and further propel the nation’s sustainable development endeavors.
EVALUATING IDEAL LOCATIONS FOR OFFSHORE WIND FARMS IN NIGERIA, EMPLOYING A MULTI-CRITERIA ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY. GET MORE, ACTUARIAL SCIENCE PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS
