Wind energy potential in compact urban areas with balconies.

This article focuses on evaluating urban wind energy potential through computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of wind flow over a typical 3 × 3 building array, considering factors such as plan area density (λp), unequal building heights, and balcony characteristics. The study validates the Reynolds stress model (RSM) turbulence model as the most accurate for predicting wind velocity, turbulence intensity (TI), and wind power density (PD) in dense urban settings. Results indicate that a plan area density of 0.4 optimizes wind power density while minimizing unacceptable turbulence regions for wind turbine installation. Additionally, variations in building height and balcony depth and density influence wind patterns and energy potential, with moderate balcony depths and lower balcony densities recommended for rooftop turbine placement. These findings provide design guidelines for integrating small-scale wind turbines in compact urban building arrays with balconies to enhance renewable energy harvesting.