The
wind resource in the Dominican Republic is strongly dependent on elevation and
proximity to the coastline. In general, the wind resource is best on hilltops,
ridge crests, and coastal locations that have excellent exposure to the prevailing
winds that blow from the east.
The extreme southwestern and northwestern
regions of the country are estimated to have the greatest number of areas with
good-to-excellent wind resources for utility-scale applications, because the upper-air
winds and ocean winds are greatest in these regions.
The wind mapping results
show many areas of good-to-excellent wind resource for utility-scale applications
or excellent wind resource for village power applications, particularly in the
extreme southwestern and northwestern regions of the country. The best wind resources
are found in the southwestern provinces of Pedernales and Barahona, and the northwestern
provinces of Puerto Plata and Monte Cristi. Significant areas of good-to-excellent
wind resource can be found in many other locations, such as well-exposed hilltops
and ridge crests of the Samana Peninsula and other near-coastal locations throughout
the Dominican Republic and the major mountain ranges including Cordillera Septentrional,
Cordillera Oriental, Cordillera Central, and Sierra Neiba.
The mapping
results show many additional areas of moderate wind resource for utility-scale
applications or good wind resource for village power applications, including many
east-facing coastal locations along the eastern and northern coasts of the Dominican
Republic.
