High-Resolution Southeast Asia Wind Resource Data Set

Agency for International Development (USAID) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), has developed a high-resolution wind resource data set for Southeast Asia. This data set, available through the USAID-NREL Partnership's Renewable Energy (RE) Data Explorer, provides stakeholders with accurate and comprehensive information necessary for informed decision-making regarding wind energy project development, long-term energy planning, and power system operations. The data set, which covers a 15-year period with a 3-km spatial and 15-minute temporal resolution, was generated using a combination of satellite data and ground measurements. The European reanalysis data set (ERA5) provided the initial atmospheric conditions, while the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model was used to refine the resolutions of the ERA5 data set. However, due to computational constraints, the WRF model was unable to efficiently produce a long-term, high-resolution data set covering Southeast Asia. To address this challenge, machine learning was employed to make data production more efficient while ensuring similar levels of accuracy. The Southeast Asia Wind Resource Data Set uses a method called Generated Adversarial Networks (GANs), which consists of two neural networks: a "generator" and a "discriminator." This approach enabled researchers to produce a 3-km, 15-minute, and 15-year data set covering Southeast Asia with 16 times better computational efficiency than WRF. The data set is available at no cost to the public through the RE Data Explorer tool, as well as through APIs and highly scalable data services. Access to the Southeast Asia Wind Resource Data Set empowers stakeholders to site wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) farms in efficient locations and illustrate the reliability of their projects to potential funders. The data set is compatible with NREL's System Advisor Model (SAM) to evaluate system performance and estimate project costs. Policymakers and advisors can also model the resource potential at regional and national scales, allowing them to develop energy deployment targets and commission national grid integration studies. The RE Data Explorer, developed by NREL and supported by USAID, provides renewable energy data, geospatial analysis tools, and technical assistance to support data-driven renewable energy decision-making. The tool hosts a wide variety of renewable energy data, including the Southeast Asia Wind Resource Data Set, and offers intuitive and user-driven analysis capabilities. RE Data Explorer enables vital renewable energy investment and deployment decisions around the world. The Advanced Energy Partnership for Asia is proud to launch the Southeast Asia Wind Resource Data Set for public use, which will help ensure regional growth and development are informed by high-quality data. The data set will support the informed deployment of wind energy across Southeast Asia, accelerating the region's net-zero transition.