Potential Wind Energy Assessment Using Full-scale Geometrical Model of an Urban Coastal City in Egypt on the Mediterranean

Abstract Architects and infrastructure planners have often recommended the construction of small and medium-sized wind turbines on the rooftops of tall buildings as a viable option for achieving renewable energy in building architecture. Wind turbines in the developed environment present several problems, including reduced energy yield due to lower mean wind speeds in urban environments and environmental effects due to their proximity to people and land. As a result of the existence of buildings and other nearby obstacles, the wind is usually erratic, unpredictable, and slow in terms of direction and intensity in such areas. The inflow wind conditions for a small wind turbine in the urban environment must be understood. Wind characteristics such as zones of wind displacement, recirculation, obstruction, and channeling can be determined by a resource evaluation of a possible wind turbine site in the urban environment. This expertise is critical for predicting blade fatigue loads correctly in the design phase of a small wind turbine and ensuring that it runs safely and operates optimally in the field. CFD is a valuable tool for modelling wind streams to conduct a resource assessment for the application of micro-scale wind turbines that takes less time and money than other methods.