Abstract
NCEP reanalysis data were analyzed in order to provide distribution of global wind resource and wind speed in the surface layer for the years 2000-2009. Wind speed at 10 m above ground level (AGL) was converted to wind speed at 80 m above the ground level using the power law. The global average 80 m wind speed shows a maximum value of $13ms^{-1}$ at the storm track region. High wind speed over the land exists in Tibet, Mongolia, Central North America, South Africa, Australia, and Argentina. Wind speed over the ocean increased with a large value in the South China Sea, Southeast Asia, East Sea of the Korea. Sea surface wind in Western Europe and Scandinavia are suitable for wind farm with a value of $7-8ms^{-1}$. Areas with great potential for wind farm are also found in Eastern and Western coastal region of North America. Sea surface wind in Southern Hemisphere shows larger values in the high latitude of South America, South Africa and Australia. The distribution of low-resolution reanalysis data represents general potential areas for wind power and can be used to provide information for high-resolution wind resource mapping.
