TITLE:
Assessment of Wind Energy Potential in Kassa (Guinea) Using NASA Satellite and ERA5 Reanalysis Data
AUTHORS:
Mohamed Ansoumane Camara, Souleymane Soumah, Ouaïdou Emmanuel, Kadiatou Aïssatou Barry, Oumar Kourouma, Sidiki Fatta Condé, Amadou Oury Diallo
KEYWORDS:
Wind Energy, Wind Energy Potential, Wind Speed, Weibull Distribution, NASA POWER, ERA5
JOURNAL NAME:
Energy and Power Engineering,
Vol.18 No.9,
September
15,
2026
ABSTRACT: This study evaluates the wind energy potential of Kassa Island, located in the Loos Archipelago, Guinea, using 10 m wind speed data from NASA POWER and ERA5 over the 2020-2025 period. ERA5 wind speeds were determined from the zonal and meridional wind components, whereas NASA POWER data were directly obtained from the WS10M variable. The wind regime was characterized using the Weibull distribution, whose shape kk and scale cc parameters were estimated from monthly mean wind speeds and their standard deviations. The results reveal pronounced seasonal variability. Monthly mean wind speeds range from 2.26 to 5.60 m/s for NASA POWER and from 3.26 to 5.02 m/s for ERA5, with maximum values occurring in August and July, respectively. The maximum available wind power densities reach 107.6 W/m2 for NASA POWER and 77.5 W/m2 for ERA5. The annual available wind energy is estimated at 352.04 kWh/m2 for NASA POWER and 393.00 kWh/m2 for ERA5. According to the theoretical Betz limit Cp = 0.593, the corresponding maximum theoretical wind energies are 208.76 and 233.05 kWh/m2/year, respectively. These values represent theoretical aerodynamic limits and should not be interpreted as the actual electrical energy produced by a wind turbine. The period from June to September accounts for approximately 62.6% of the annual energy for NASA POWER and 49.2% for ERA5, highlighting more favorable wind resource conditions during the wet season. At the reference height of 10 m, the site generally exhibits a low wind energy resource, despite more favorable seasonal conditions. In situ measurements, wind speed extrapolation to turbine hub heights, and techno-economic analyses are therefore required to more accurately assess the site’s exploitable wind energy potential.