Title: Evaluation of offshore wind power plant sustainability: a case study of Sinop/Gerze, Turkey

Authors: Faruk Güner; Volkan Başer; Hilmi Zenk

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Giresun University, Giresun, 28020, Turkey ' Department of Geomatics Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Giresun University, Giresun, 28020, Turkey ' Department of Electrics and Electronics Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Giresun University, Giresun, 28020, Turkey

Abstract: Renewable energy generation has become indispensable for many countries due to global warming, energy security and foreign dependency. Wind turbines, which are an alternative renewable energy type, can be applied on land or offshore. Yet without any offshore wind turbine in Turkey, Sinop is an area worth investigating with its wind potential. In this study, Sinop/Gerze region was examined in terms of offshore wind power plant (OWPP) installation. In the study, firstly, the appropriate site selection was made with the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) technique, which is one of the multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) analysis methods. Then wind potential and power calculations were performed. In the last step of the study, the cost of the required investment and the payback period of the investment were calculated with the levelised cost method. The data obtained from the study shows that considering the incentives, purchase guarantees, interest expenses, escalation and other factors, the cost of electrical energy per kWh will be $7 cents. The payback period of the investment, including operating and maintenance expenses, has been calculated as approximately 11 years.

Keywords: renewable energy; offshore wind energy; site selection; multi-criteria decision-making; MCDM; analytical hierarchy process; AHP; levelised cost method; Turkey.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGW.2021.114342

International Journal of Global Warming, 2021 Vol.23 No.4, pp.370 - 384

Received: 26 Mar 2020
Accepted: 20 Aug 2020
Published online: 19 Apr 2021 *

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