Small 500 kW onshore wind farm project in Kribi, Cameroon: Sizing and checkers layout optimization model

For the purpose of providing cheap, affordable and reliable electrical energy to communities in need and power-up new industries and enterprises, a small onshore wind farm with an estimated capacity of 500 kW is designed and studied. With the help of a wind rose, wind resource map, and results from Weibull statistics, a potential site is selected and the wind farm is positioned along Cameroon’s coastline for maximum energy capture. Using the PARK model for wind turbine layout optimization, two different layout patterns (Checkers pattern and column pattern) are studied for the purpose of minimizing the wake effect and thereby, maximizing the output power from the farm. The Checkers model was found suitable as compared to the column model to be used on Grand Batanga, a small locality South of the city of Kribi, Cameroon. Keywords: Wind farm, Layout, Optimization