A fuzzy logic based multi-criteria decision-making approach for selection of small scale vertical axis wind turbines in an urban environment

Wind energy has emerged as an effective alternative to fossil fuels. At a commercial level, wind energy is harnessed through wind farms. However, in an urban setting, small scale wind turbines can be installed and effectively used to generate power without the requirements for a huge infrastructure. This study aims to evaluate a number of vertical axis wind turbines with rated capacity of 600 Watts. A fuzzy logic based multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach is developed while considering hub height, turbine swept area, annual energy production, cut-in speed, and rated speed as the decision criteria. The assessment is done on the data collected for the city of Karachi located in the Southern Pakistan. Assessments were done using five vertical axis wind turbines with different swept areas ranging between 0.413 m2 and 5.75 m2, while considering hub heights of 10m, 15m, and 20m. The proposed method was also compared with two other MCDM methods, namely, weighted sum method, and goal programming. Results indicate that all three methods produced more or less the same decisions. It was found that Maglev/ low-noise rooftop with swept area of 2.619m2 produced the best overall fuzzy membership of 0.661, whereas Qingdao Greef / Rose-600W rooftop stood worst with an overall membership of 0.590. Furthermore, more favorable results were obtained at height of 10m as compared to heights of 15m and 20m.