Wind resource measurements have been carried out on Funafuti but only at the 30-metre level. An average wind speed of 5.79 m/s was recorded, and the consultant making the assessments recommended installation of small turbines in the 20–50 kW range as there is no crane on Tuvalu capable of installing larger turbines. This wind resource monitoring equipment was supported by the SOPAC, UNDP and Government of Denmark under the PIEPSAP Project.
However, since the larger, more cost-effective 275 kW turbines with tilt-up towers (such as used in Fiji, New Caledonia and Vanuatu) do not require cranes for installation, these could also be a practical option for Funafuti where the load is large enough to accommodate the higher power outputs from these turbines. Many years of meteorological measurements at Funafuti airport indicate a seasonal, highly irregular pattern of wind speeds, often below the speed necessary to economically produce electrical energy. However, there are better locations for wind power, and it therefore makes sense to continue a proper assessment along Funafuti’s windward reef and in the lagoon, where there is no interference from the tall coconut trees that cover the land areas. Due to the very small land areas of Tuvalu’s atoll islands, wind farm construction would require machines that can withstand rough terrain and the harsh marine environment in addition to being appropriately sized for the small loads typical on all the islands apart from Funafuti. Source: IRENA Lighthouse Country Report.
SPREP, UNDP, GEF under the PIGGAREP Project supported a wind resource assessment for Funafuti. The report Wind Study and Feasibility report from May 2010 is attached here.
