Evaluation of Wind Energy Potentials in Some Selected Areas in the Six Geo-Political Regions in Nigeria

Abstract
Wind energy is one of the cleanest sources of renewable energy sources (RES) in Nigeria but among the least utilized even with its enormous abundance. This work investigates wind energy availability and its utilization in some selected areas of the six geopolitical regions. The area under study is part of North-West (Gumel, in Jigawa State), Part of North-East (Maiduguri, Gamboru and Baga in Bornu State and Kumagunnam in Yobe State), Part North Central (Pankshin and Biu in Plateau State), Part of South-West (Lagos State), Part of South-East (Ihiala in Anambra State) and Part of South-South (Buguma in Rivers State). Rescreen (renewable energy) software was used to analyse the data obtained from Nigeria meteorological agency (NIMET). The result obtained showed the average wind speed for the various locations under study and it was found that there was drastic fluctuation of the speed of wind between June and October, and this was decreasing in this order. Furthermore, Kumagunnam and Gamboru has a high wind speed from January to march. This could be attributed to climatic/seasonal changes in weather pattern and it was also found that this is proportional to the cube of wind speed which is not linearly related to wind speed.