Numerical modelling of nearshore wave energy resource in the Sea of Iroise (original) (raw)
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Regional assessments of the wave energy resource tend to focus on averaged quantities, and so provide potential developers with no sense of temporal variability beyond seasonal means. In particular, such assessments give no indication of interannual variability-something that is important for determining the potential of a region for wave energy convertor (WEC) technology. Here, we apply a third-generation wave model at high resolution to assess the wave resource of the northwest European shelf seas, an area where many wave energy test sites exist, and where many wave energy projects are under development. Our simulations demonstrate that there is much greater uncertainty in the NW European shelf wave resource during October-March, in contrast to the period April-September. In the more energetic regions of the NW European shelf seas, e.g. to the northwest of Scotland, the uncertainty was considerably greater. The winter NW European shelf wave power resource correlated well with the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). Therefore, provided trends in the NAO can be identified over the coming decades, it may be possible to estimate how the European wave resource will similarly vary over this time period.
Assessment of Mean Wave Energy Potential for the Atlantic European Coast Using Numerical Modelling
In order to characterize the wave conditions and assess the wave energy potential for the Atlantic European coast, two state of the art spectral models were used: WaveWatch III used for wave generation covering almost the entire North Atlantic basin which outputs are then used as boundary conditions for SWAN used for wave transformation in coastal areas. Wind fields were taken from ERA Interim data base, owned by ECMWF. Validation tests were carried out with buoy data so that the model's performance could be evaluated. The time series evolution of SWAN’s simulation and buoy’s data are presented as well as statistic parameters such as Root Mean Square Error, Bias, Scatter Index and Correlation coefficient. Theoretical values for wave power were calculated using the energy transport vectors. Energetic assessment was done for a period of several years and mean values of energy potential were estimated and analysed on a monthly basis.
Wave Energy Assessments in the Coastal Environment of Portugal Continental
Volume 6: Nick Newman Symposium on Marine Hydrodynamics; Yoshida and Maeda Special Symposium on Ocean Space Utilization; Special Symposium on Offshore Renewable Energy, 2008
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 simulatio...
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Renewable Energy, 2014
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An Atlas of the Wave-Energy Resource in Europe
Journal of Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering, 1996
An atlas of the European offshore wave energy resource, being developed within the scope of a European R&D program, includes the characterization of the offshore resource for the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts of Europe in addition to providing wave-energy and wave-climate statistics that are of interest to other users of the ocean. The wave data used for compiling the Atlas come from the numerical wind-wave model WAM, implemented in the routine operation of the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), in addition to directional wave measurements from the Norwegian offshore waters.
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Energy, 2017
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Modelling wave energy resources for UK's southwest coast
2011
In the present study, a wave prediction system based on two state-of-the-art spectral models, WAVEWATCH III™ and SWAN, was implemented in order to evaluate UK's wave conditions and to assess potential wave energy extraction. The WWIII is used for wave generation and coupled with SWAN, which is used for wave transformation in coastal areas. Wind fields for model input were taken from NCEP's Reanalysis 2, with time steps of 6 hours. Wave parameters are obtained for sites close to the coast and in particular for two tests sites: the site off Cornwall (Wave Hub test site) and the site off the Pembrokeshire Coast. Validation tests are carried out with buoy data from the British Oceanographic Data Centre so that the model's performance can be evaluated. The time period considered is April and May, 1977. Regarding the energetic assessment, a case study is considered and an analysis is done for the energy transport per unit of wave front and its theoretical values of wave power. This work is developed in the framework of a European project with intend to provide resource information to the marine renewable energy sector.