Offshore Wind Energy Generation from Vertical Axis Wind Turbines (VAWT) in Guyana
Rikhi Ramkissoon *
University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago.
Graeme Jones
TTAEE -Trinidad and Tobago Chapter of The Association of Energy Engineers, Trinidad and Tobago.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: Offshore wind energy may provide a complementary renewable-energy option for Guyana, particularly in areas with substantial offshore industrial activity.
Aims: To use offshore wind data collected from a ship offshore Guyana to estimate potential energy generation using vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs).
Place and Duration of Study: University of the West Indies, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, St Augustine Campus. Data were collected from the Stena Carron drillship offshore Guyana from January 2025 to December 2025.
Methodology: Offshore Guyana was chosen as the study area because of the availability of wind data and the high level of offshore activity. The data were collected offshore Guyana in the oil and gas fields leased by ExxonMobil Guyana. They were gathered at different offshore sites, depending on the area in which the exploration well was being drilled. The recorded wind speeds varied throughout the year. The highest monthly average of 10.38 m/s was observed in February 2025, whilst the lowest monthly average was 5.71 m/s in July 2025. The wind turbine used for the modelling had three MI-VAWT1 blade profiles, a blade length of 10 metres, and a diameter of 9 metres. These physical characteristics were chosen to limit the turbine footprint whilst still producing sufficient power. The Paraschivoiu double streamtube model was used for turbine modelling.
Results: The results indicate that offshore Guyana has considerable potential as a renewable wind resource. The modelled VAWT produced daily power outputs ranging from 72.75 kWh to 437.13 kWh. The highest monthly power output corresponded to the highest mean monthly wind speed and occurred in February. Installing multiple wind turbines could produce clean energy that may complement the high level of activity currently occurring offshore Guyana. The use of this wind resource could support Guyana's rapidly growing economy in a sustainable manner by diversifying its energy dependence from oil and gas towards an alternative clean resource.
Conclusion: The vertical axis wind turbine modelled in this study showed that it could generate an average daily power output of 203.42 kWh over the year. A VAWT array would yield higher power output but would require a larger footprint.
Keywords: Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT), Parashivoiu Double Streamtube Model, wind resource, co-efficient of performance, MI-VAWT1 airfoil