Wind characteristics of Tamil Nadu coast towards development of microgrid- A case study for simulation of small scale hybrid wind and solar energy system

Wind's intermittent nature poses a considerable challenge for an effective microgrid design, particularly in "Island mode." The objective of this research is to investigate the wind characteristics of a coastal location in Tamil Nadu, India, with a special emphasis on wind consistency, to establish a successful microgrid at the site. The research was based on wind data acquired from an 80 m high meteorological mast established in Mana-melkudi, Pudukkottai District, Tamil Nadu, India, from January to December 2017. Based on the analysis, it is observed that, while being within the moderate wind potential regime, the region has a substantially stable wind pattern when compared to the in-land windy places. According to the assessment, the site is expected to effec-tively complement solar generation, with 74% of its wind generation occurring between 06:00 p.m. and 06:00 a. m. Considering the consistency of wind and the complementary nature of solar generation, the Manamelkudi location is considered to have promising potential for the development of microgrid systems using wind and solar hybrid power. The investigation demonstrated that the geography of the site plays a critical role in the consistent wind pattern of the Manamelkudi site.