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Mean wind speed, monthly profiles, and energy potential at 71.29°N, 156.79°W
Average wind speed at 100m hub height for each month of the year.
Barrow experiences peak winds during January (8.9 m/s) with lowest speeds in July (6.14 m/s). The seasonal pattern shows strong winter and spring winds with calmer summer conditions.
The ratio between peak and minimum monthly wind speed is 1.45, indicating significant seasonal variation. Energy production will be notably higher during windy months, which should be factored into PPA pricing and revenue projections.
Wind speed increases with height due to reduced surface friction. Modern turbines typically operate at 80-120m hub height.
| Height | Wind Speed (m/s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 10m | 5.58 | Standard measurement height |
| 50m | 6.91 | Small/distributed turbines |
| 80m | 7.36 | Mid-size turbines |
| 100m | 7.58 | Modern utility-scale turbines |
Alaska ranks #38 nationally for wind energy capacity, making it an emerging market for wind energy development. The state's coastal and mountain passes define its wind resource characteristics across different regions and elevations.
Alaska has a small but growing wind energy sector with approximately 0.06 GW installed. As turbine technology advances and development costs decrease, additional sites across the state are becoming economically viable.
Alaska's diverse geography — from coastal areas to interior valleys and mountain passes — creates varied wind regimes. Coastal and mountain pass sites tend to offer the strongest and most consistent wind resources, driven by differential heating and large-scale atmospheric circulation.
The mean wind speed in Barrow, Alaska is 7.58 m/s at 100m hub height, 7.36 m/s at 80m, and 5.58 m/s at 10m. Wind power density at this location is 266.8 W/m², classified as IEC Wind Class III.
Barrow has a wind quality rating of "Good" based on its mean wind speed of 7.58 m/s at hub height. This location is well-suited for utility-scale wind energy development. Peak winds occur in January (8.9 m/s) with lowest speeds in July (6.14 m/s).
IEC Class III turbines with larger rotors are recommended to maximize energy capture at this moderate wind site. Turbines like the Vestas V150-4.2 or GE Cypress 5.3-158 use longer blades to sweep more area, compensating for lower wind speeds.
Based on the mean wind speed near Barrow, a modern 3 MW turbine could produce approximately 7.9 GWh per year (capacity factor ~30%). That is enough to power roughly 751 average American homes. A 100 MW wind farm at this location could generate approximately 260 GWh annually, worth $9106.0M at $35/MWh wholesale electricity prices.
Explore wind data for nearby cities, sorted by wind quality.