scholarly journals Modeling Sea Ice Effects for Wave Energy Resource Assessments

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (12) ◽  
pp. 3482
Author(s):  
Ruth Branch ◽  
Gabriel García-Medina ◽  
Zhaoqing Yang ◽  
Taiping Wang ◽  
Fadia Ticona Rollano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Wave Height ◽  
Wave Energy ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
Energy Resource ◽  
Wave Climate ◽  
Wave Power ◽  
Wave Energy Converters ◽  
Wave Models ◽  
Mean Square Errors

Wave-generated power has potential as a valuable coastal resource, but the wave climate needs to be mapped for feasibility before wave energy converters are installed. Numerical models are used for wave resource assessments to quantify the amount of available power and its seasonality. Alaska is the U.S. state with the longest coastline and has extensive wave resources, but it is affected by seasonal sea ice that dampens the wave energy and the full extent of this dampening is unknown. To accurately characterize the wave resource in regions that experience seasonal sea ice, coastal wave models must account for these effects. The aim of this study is to determine how the dampening effects of sea ice change wave energy resource assessments in the nearshore. Here, we show that by combining high-resolution sea ice imagery with a sea ice/wave dampening parameterization in an unstructured grid, the Simulating Waves Nearshore (SWAN) model improves wave height predictions and demonstrates the extent to which wave power decreases when sea ice is present. The sea ice parametrization decreases the bias and root mean square errors of wave height comparisons with two wave buoys and predicts a decrease in the wave power of up to 100 kW/m in areas around Prince William Sound, Alaska. The magnitude of the improvement of the model/buoy comparison depends on the coefficients used to parameterize the wave–ice interaction.

scholarly journals HF Radars for Wave Energy Resource Assessment Offshore NW Spain

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 2070
Author(s):  
Ana Basañez ◽  
Vicente Pérez-Muñuzuri
Keyword(s):  
Wave Energy ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
Wave Spectrum ◽  
Energy Resource ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Resource Assessment ◽  
Electricity Production ◽  
Statistical Validation ◽  
Wave Energy Converters ◽  
Energy Converters

Wave energy resource assessment is crucial for the development of the marine renewable industry. High-frequency radars (HF radars) have been demonstrated to be a useful wave measuring tool. Therefore, in this work, we evaluated the accuracy of two CODAR Seasonde HF radars for describing the wave energy resource of two offshore areas in the west Galician coast, Spain (Vilán and Silleiro capes). The resulting wave characterization was used to estimate the electricity production of two wave energy converters. Results were validated against wave data from two buoys and two numerical models (SIMAR, (Marine Simulation) and WaveWatch III). The statistical validation revealed that the radar of Silleiro cape significantly overestimates the wave power, mainly due to a large overestimation of the wave energy period. The effect of the radars’ data loss during low wave energy periods on the mean wave energy is partially compensated with the overestimation of wave height and energy period. The theoretical electrical energy production of the wave energy converters was also affected by these differences. Energy period estimation was found to be highly conditioned to the unimodal interpretation of the wave spectrum, and it is expected that new releases of the radar software will be able to characterize different sea states independently.

Performance assessments of the fully submerged sphere and cylinder point absorber wave energy converters

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (13) ◽  
pp. 1950168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qianlong Xu ◽  
Ye Li ◽  
Yingkai Xia ◽  
Weixing Chen ◽  
Feng Gao
Keyword(s):  
Wave Height ◽  
Wave Energy ◽  
Interaction Analysis ◽  
Wave Power ◽  
Viscous Damping ◽  
Power Performance ◽  
Point Absorber ◽  
Wave Energy Converters ◽  
Submerged Sphere ◽  
Energy Converters

Fully submerged sphere and cylinder point absorber (PA), wave energy converters (WECs) are analyzed numerically based on linearized potential flow theory. A boundary element method (BEM) (a radiation–diffraction panel program for wave-body interactions) is used for the basic wave-structure interaction analysis. In the present numerical model, the viscous damping is modeled by an equivalent linearized damping which extracts the same amount of wave energy over one cycle as the conventional quadratic damping term. The wave power capture width in each case is predicted. Comparisons are also made between the sphere and cylinder PAs which have identical geometrical scales and submerged depths. The results show that: (i) viscous damping has a greater influence on wave power performance of the cylinder PA than that of the sphere PA; (ii) the increasing wave height reduces wave power performance of PAs; (iii) the cylinder PA has a better wave power performance compared to the sphere PA in larger wave height scenarios, which indicates that fully submerged cylinder PA is a preferable prototype of WEC.

Modelling Wave Energy Resources in the Irish West Coast

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Rute Bento ◽  
Paulo Martinho ◽  
Ricardo Campos ◽  
C. Guedes Soares
Keyword(s):  
Wave Energy ◽  
West Coast ◽  
Wave Climate ◽  
Extensive Study ◽  
Wave Power ◽  
Target Area ◽  
Wave Models ◽  
The Time Domain ◽  
Validation Tests ◽  
Buoy Data

In order to assess the potential wave energy extraction, a study is made to validate a model that can be used to characterize Ireland’s wave climate in a more extensive study. The target area is the Irish West Coast, known for having the highest average wave power in Europe. The wave conditions in the coastal area were characterized by coupling the wave models SWAN and WAVEWATCH III. Validation tests are carried out with buoy data so that the model’s performance can be evaluated. The wave parameters considered for the comparisons in the time domain are significant wave height and mean period, and the spatial distribution of wave energy is examined in a case study. Theoretical values of wave power are obtained for sites close to the coast and in particular for the two tests sites of Galway and Belmullet.

Basic Characteristics of the Primary Conversion of an OWC Type WEC Installed on a Wave Dissipating Double-Caisson

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomoki Ikoma ◽  
Koichi Masuda ◽  
Hiroaki Eto ◽  
Shogo Shibuya
Keyword(s):  
Wave Height ◽  
Basic Property ◽  
Wave Energy ◽  
Wave Power ◽  
Oscillating Water Column ◽  
Type Wave ◽  
Wave Energy Converters ◽  
The World ◽  
Fixed Type ◽  
Basic Characteristics

Several types of oscillating water column (OWC) type wave energy converters (WECs) are researched and developed in the world. They are floating types and fixed types. In case of a fixed type, wave dissipating caissons could be replaced to WECs of an OWC type. On OWC types, installation of the projecting-walls (PWs) is useful in order to improve PTO performance. In this study, it was considered that a double dissipating caisson was used as an OWC type WEC with PWs. A front caisson of the double caisson seems the area surrounded by PWs and a back caisson can be seen as an OWC. The paper studied basic property of the primary conversion from wave power to power of air from model tests in a wave tank. As a result, wave height strongly effects on behaviours of OWC motion as well as air pressure. Finally, the primary conversion was affected by wave height. Besides, the concept of use of a double caisson was useful from the primary conversion over 80 % evaluated using test data.

Wave Energy Assessments in the Coastal Environment of Portugal Continental

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eugen Rusu ◽  
C. Guedes Soares
Keyword(s):  
Wave Energy ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
Specific Area ◽  
Wave Climate ◽  
Coastal Environment ◽  
Wave Power ◽  
Relevant Parameter ◽  
Density Spectrum ◽  
Energy Devices ◽  
Power Resources

The potential for wave energy extraction can be obtained from the analysis of the wave climate which can be determined with numerical models. The wave energy devices can be deployed in offshore, nearshore and shoreline. From this reason, it is important to be able to assess properly the spatial distribution of the wave energy in various locations from the offshore to the coastline in a specific area. The methodology proposed here considers a SWAN based wave model system focusing in the Portuguese continental coastal environment from deep water towards the nearshore. An analysis of the average and high energetic conditions was first performed for a ten-year period, between 1994 and 2003, considering the most relevant in situ measurements available in the Portuguese nearshore. In this way both the average and high energetic conditions corresponding to the Portuguese continental costal environment have been properly defined. For the most relevant average wave conditions, SWAN simulations were performed in some medium resolution areas covering the northern and central parts of Portugal continental, which are traditionally considered richer in wave power resources. The present work allows the identification of some locations in the continental coastal environment of Portugal with greater potential from the point of view of wave power resources. An important observation is related to the fact that the wave power depends on the product between the energy density spectrum and the group velocity of waves. This means that, although the significant wave height is a relevant parameter when assessing the wave power in a specific site, a location having in general higher wave heights is not necessarily also the richest in wave power.

Hebridean Marine Energy Resources: Wave-Power Characterisation Using a Buoy Network

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arne Vögler ◽  
Vengatesan Venugopal
Keyword(s):  
Wave Energy ◽  
Site Selection ◽  
Selection Process ◽  
Energy Resource ◽  
Energy Resources ◽  
Wave Power ◽  
Energy Futures ◽  
Wave Energy Converters ◽  
Marine Energy ◽  
Outer Hebrides

The Outer Hebrides of Scotland were identified as an area with a high wave power resource of 42.4kW/m. The Outer Hebrides of Scotland are currently targeted by a range of developers for demonstration and commercial developments of wave energy converters and current planning efforts are based on initial deployments by 2014. Technology providers with well advanced plans to develop the Hebridean wave resource include Aquamarine Power (Oyster) [1], Pelamis (P2) [2] and Voith Wavegen (OWC) [3]; all of these companies are partners in the Hebridean Marine Energy Futures project [4] to help move the industry into the commercialisation stage. As part of the Hebridean Marine Energy Futures project, a three year programme aimed at developing a high resolution wave energy resource map to support the site selection process of marine energy developers, a network of three wave measuring buoys was deployed 15km offshore in a depth of 60m and at distances of 11km between buoys. Measured wind and wave data from this buoy network for autumn 2011 are analysed and presented in this paper along with estimated wave power for the same duration.

scholarly journals A Preliminary Study of Wave Energy Resource Using an HF Marine Radar, Application to an Eastern Southern Pacific Location: Advantages and Opportunities

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 203
Author(s):  
Valeria Mundaca-Moraga ◽  
Rodrigo Abarca-del-Rio ◽  
Dante Figueroa ◽  
James Morales
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Wave Energy ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
Energy Resource ◽  
Hf Radar ◽  
Wave Power ◽  
High Concentration ◽  
Wave Radar ◽  
Temporal And Spatial

As climate change is of global concern, the electric generation through fossil fuel is progressively shifted to renewable energies. Among the renewables, the most common solar and wind, the wave energy stands for its high-power density. Studies about wave energy resource have been increasing over the years, especially in coastal countries. Several research investigations have assessed the global wave power, with higher values at high latitudes. However, to have a precise assessment of this resource, the measurement systems need to provide a high temporal and spatial resolution, and due to the lack of in-situ measurements, the way to estimate this value is numerical. Here, we use a high-frequency radar to estimate the wave energy resource in a nearshore central Chile at a high resolution. The study focuses near Concepción city (36.5° S), using a WERA (WavE RAdar) high frequency (HF) radar. The amount of annual energy collected is calculated. Analysis of coefficient of variation (COV), seasonal variability (SV), and monthly variability (MV) shows the area's suitability for installing a wave energy converter device due to a relatively low variability and the high concentration of wave power obtained. The utility of HF radars in energy terms relies on its high resolution, both temporal and spatial. It can then compare the location of interest within small areas and use them as a complement to satellite measurements or numerical models, demonstrating its versatility.

scholarly journals Ηydrodynamic Response and Produced Power of a Combined Structure Consisting of a Spar and Heaving Type Wave Energy Converters

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 225
Author(s):  
Constantine Michailides
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Model ◽  
Wave Energy ◽  
Hydrodynamic Interaction ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
Interaction Effects ◽  
Irregular Waves ◽  
Wave Power ◽  
Wave Energy Converters ◽  
Combined Structure ◽  
Energy Converters

During the past years, researchers have studied both numerically and experimentally multibody wave-wind combined energy structures supporting wind turbines and different types of Wave Energy Converters (WECs); rigid body hydrodynamic assumptions have been adopted so far for the development of their numerical models and the assessment of their produced power. In the present paper a numerical model that is based on the use of generalized modes addressing wave-structure interaction effects for the case of a multibody wave-wind combined structure is developed and presented. Afterwards, the developed numerical model is used for the assessment of the hydrodynamic response and the prediction of the produced power of different possible configurations of the updated WindWEC concept which consists of a spar supporting a wind turbine and one, two, three or four heaving type WEC buoys. The combined effects of the center-to-center distance of the WEC and spar platform, the number of the WECs and the grid configuration of spar and WECs on the hydrodynamic interaction between the different floating bodies, spar and WEC buoys, and consequently on their response and wave power production are examined for regular and irregular waves. Strong hydrodynamic interaction effects exist for small distance between spar and WECs that result to the decrease of the produced power. Power matrices of the updated WindWEC concept are presented for all examined configurations with different number of WECs. Moreover, the annual produced power of the updated WindWEC in two sites is estimated and presented. The generalized modes analysis presented in this paper is generic and can be used for the early stage assessment of wave-wind combined energy structures with low computational cost. The updated WindWEC can be used in sea sites with different environmental characteristics while extracting valuable amount of wave power.

A Nearshore Wave Energy Atlas for Portugal

2003 ◽  
Vol 127 (3) ◽  
pp. 249-255 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. T. Pontes ◽  
R. Aguiar ◽  
H. Oliveira Pires
Keyword(s):  
Wave Height ◽  
Wave Energy ◽  
Extreme Values ◽  
Probability Distributions ◽  
Energy Resource ◽  
Joint Probability ◽  
Wave Model ◽  
Wave Climate ◽  
Open Ocean ◽  
Peak Period

The nearshore wave energy resource in Portugal has been assessed through the development of ONDATLAS. This is an electronic atlas, compatible with Internet access, containing comprehensive wave climate and wave energy statistics for 78 points at about 20m water depth spaced variably ca.5-30km, 5 points at deep water, and 2 points at open ocean locations. The data were produced by a third-generation wind-wave model, complemented by an inverse-ray model that computes the directional spectra transformation from open ocean to the nearshore. Shoaling, refraction, bottom dissipation, and shelter by the coastline and/or neighboring islands are taken into account. ONDATLAS statistics comprise yearly and monthly values, variability and probability data for significant wave height, energy (mean) period, peak period and wave power, and directional histograms for wave and power direction. Joint probability distributions for various combinations of the above parameters are also available, as well as extreme values and return period for wave height and period parameters. A summary of the detailed verification of this model using long-term buoy measurements at four sites is presented. The main characteristics of ONDATLAS are described. The strong spatial variability that wave conditions exhibit at the coastal area are illustrated and a brief assessment of the nearshore resource at the Portugal mainland is presented.

scholarly journals Impact of Climate Change on Wave Energy Resource in the Mediterranean Coast of Morocco

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 2993
Author(s):  
Joan Pau Sierra ◽  
Ricard Castrillo ◽  
Marc Mestres ◽  
César Mösso ◽  
Piero Lionello ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Wave Energy ◽  
Regional Climate ◽  
Energy Resource ◽  
Mediterranean Coast ◽  
Energy Output ◽  
Wave Power ◽  
Intergovernmental Panel ◽  
Wave Energy Converters ◽  
The Mediterranean

The increasing demand for energy and the impacts generated by CO2 emissions make it necessary to harness all possible renewable sources of energy, like wave power. Nevertheless, climate change may generate significant variations in the amount of wave energy available in a certain area. The aim of this paper is to study potential changes in the wave energy resource in the Mediterranean coast of Morocco due to climate change. To do this, wave datasets obtained by four institutes during the Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment in the Mediterranean Region (Med-CORDEX) project are used. The future conditions correspond to the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios from the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The results show that projected future wave power is very similar to that of the present considering the whole area, although at some specific points there are slight changes that are more evident for the RCP8.5 scenario. Another remarkable result of this study is the significant increase of the temporal variability of wave power in future scenarios, in particular for RCP8.5. This will be detrimental for the deployment of wave energy converters in this area since their energy output will be more unevenly distributed over time, thus decreasing their efficiency.

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