Wave energy resource at bimep (Basque coast)

Renewable Energy, 2010

The area around Cape Estaca de Bares (the northernmost point of Iberia) presents a great potential for wave energy exploitation owing to its prominent position, with average deepwater wave power values exceeding 40 kW/m. The newly available SIMAR-44 dataset, composed of hindcast data spanning 44 years , is used alongside wave buoy data and numerical modelling to assess this substantial energy resource in detail. Most of the energy is provided by waves from the IV quadrant, generated by the prevailing westerlies blowing over the long Atlantic fetch. Combined scatter and energy diagrams are used to characterise the wave energy available in an average year in terms of the sea states involved. The lion's share is shown to correspond to significant wave heights between 2 and 5 m and energy periods between 11 and 14 s. The nearshore energy patterns are then examined using a coastal wave model (SWAN) with reference to four situations: average wave energy, growing wave energy (at the approach of a storm), extreme wave energy (at the peak of the storm) and decaying wave energy (as the storm recedes). The irregular bathymetry is found to produce local concentrations of wave energy in the nearshore between Cape Prior and Cape Ortegal and in front of Cape Estaca de Bares, with similar patterns (but varying wave power) in the four cases. These nearshore areas of enhanced wave energy are of the highest interest as prospective sites for a wave energy operation. The largest of them is directly in the lee of a large underwater mount west of Cape Ortegal. In sum, the Estaca de Bares area emerges as one of the most promising for wave energy exploitation in Europe.

The research objectives of the french project EMACOP are to estimate the available marine energy and to study the efficiency and sustainability of systems and their morphodynamic impacts. This paper focus on the assessment of wave energy resource on existing structures along France's coastlines. Methodology through analytical calculations leading to select the most energetic sites, example case and results are described.

Energy Conversion and Management, 2015

This work is focused on the analysis of the wave resource and its exploitation by means of a proposed 12 MW wave plant in Northwestern Spain. For this purpose, a total of four current technologies of wave conversion are analysed at three different sites located at different water depths, which correspond to one of the European areas with the greatest wave energy resource and where its electric production is still underdeveloped. To carry out the research, the wave data recorded at an offshore buoy near the area and the power matrices of the four selected wave energy technologies are used. The offshore wave conditions-representing 95% of the total energy of an average year-are propagated through spectral numerical modelling towards the coast. On the basis of the results, two of the four selected technologies forming the 12 MW power plants and one of the three considered points emerge as the ones allowing the greatest energy production and, at the same time, having a minimum area of occupation which, in turn, is crucial to reducing the visual impact. Finally, this research discusses the energy supply capacity of the proposed plants to satisfy the energy consumption required by nearby communities.

XIèmes Journées, Les Sables d'Olonne, 2010

In this paper, first a historical revision of the data bases and computation methods applied for the analysis of wave energy resource is carried out and then the methodology used by the Institute of Environmental Hydraulics of Cantabria (IH Cantabria

Coastal Engineering Proceedings, 2017

The assessment of wave energy is fundamental to well evaluate potential wave energy at different sea locations and time scales in conjunction with the related occurrence of hot spots for an optimal installation of Wave Energy Converters (WECs). The present study has been performed off the coasts of Calabria (Southern Italy), a Mediterranean region characterized by a mild wave climate and quite representative of mean sea states in the Mediterranean basin. The wave energy potential has been assessed in deep waters by means of ECMWF operational wave data validated against RON buoys and UKMO data. The wave power is calculated as a function of the energy wave period deduced from directional wave spectra and compared with widely adopted relationships based on the use of a standard JONSWAP spectrum. The mean yearly and seasonal wave energy is then assessed at selected hot spots for Tyrrhenian and Ionian Seas at a water deep of 100 m suitable for the installation of several offshore WECs.

Direct wave observations using a Datawell buoy deployed to the west of Gozo, and a numerical wave modeling exercise targeted to map the spatial and temporal signatures of the wave fields around the Maltese Islands over a span of five years (1st January 2007 to 31st December 2011) have been conducted within the BLUE OCEAN ENERGY ® project. This has provided a detailed characterization of local wave climates and an estimation of the available wave energy potentials in the coastal and offshore areas of the Maltese Islands. This data is essential to assess the overall feasibility of constructing wave energy production farms based on WECs, to test the most adequate devices to harvest wave energy, as well as to identify the best candidate sites for an optimal and most economically practical extraction. The study reveals that the best sites in the Maltese waters would be those located at the western approaches to the islands, given that these are more exposed to the prevailing North-Westerly winds. At these sites, maximum significant wave heights can exceed 7 m in winter, even in close proximity to the coast, and with a seasonal mean of 1.92 m as determined from direct measurements. The mean wave power transport during the winter season is estimated at 15 kW m-1 ; the wave resource is more than halved in spring and even weaker in autumn; it is under 2 kW m-1 during summer. Stronger wave fields occur at a few kilometres to the South West of Filfla Island where the modelled mean wave power reaches values of 13 kW m-1 in the winter months, but at less accessible sites and greater distances from shore.

Renewable Energy, 2009

Wave power presents significant advantages with regard to other CO 2 -free energy sources, among which the predictability, high load factor and low visual and environmental impact stand out. Galicia, facing the Atlantic on the north-western corner of the Iberian Peninsula, is subjected to a very harsh wave climate; in this work its potential for energy production is assessed based on three-hourly data from a third generation ocean wave model (WAM) covering the period 1996-2005. Taking into account the results of this assessment along with other relevant considerations such as the location of ports, navigation routes, and fishing and aquaculture zones, an area is selected for wave energy exploitation. The transformation of the offshore wave field as it propagates into this area is computed by means of a nearshore wave model (SWAN) in order to select the optimum locations for a wave farm. Two zones emerge as those with the highest potential for wave energy exploitation. The large modifications in the available wave power resulting from relatively small changes of position are made apparent in the process.

Energy, 2010

The island of La Palma (Spain), dubbed La Isla Bonita for its beauty, is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the Atlantic Ocean. The island's authorities are aiming for energy self-sufficiency based on wave energy and other renewables. In this research its wave resource is investigated using a 44-years hindcast dataset obtained through numerical modelling and validated with wave buoy records. First, its distribution around La Palma is studied. Significant variations are found, with the largest resource occurring off the north and northwest coasts; the northwest presents operational advantages (proximity to a port). Second, the seasonal variations in this area are studied. Wave energy is provided essentially by powerful NNW-NW swells in winter and autumn, by less energetic NNE-N waves in summer and spring. Finally, the resource is characterised in terms of sea states; it is found that the bulk of the energy is provided by waves between 9.5 s and 13.5 s of energy period and 1.5 m and 3.5 m of significant wave height, so the selection of the Wave Energy Converters to be installed should guarantee maximum efficiency in these ranges.

An assessment of nearshore wave energy resource along the Portuguese coast is presented, focusing on identify appropriate locations for testing and developing Wave Energy Converter (WEC) for commercial exploit. The analysis covers the whole west seaside, to which a partition defined by 7 linear sections parallel to the coastline at 50 m depth was considered. Available wave energy at each linear sector was calculated from nearshore wave parameters, using as input the offshore wave conditions provided by a 15-year ocean wind-wave model simulation and considering a simplified but well-established analytical procedure for shoreward wave transformation. Two alternative measures of the nearshore wave energy resource were considered, the standard omni-directional wave power density and the more restricted normally-directed wave energy flux. Offshore wave direction combine to shoreline orientation proved to be determinant on the evaluation of the wave energy resource in each section, since sectors of the shoreline directly facing the offshore annual average wave direction have limited reduction in available wave energy as compare to offshore values. Independently of the wave energy measured criteria used, the analysis suggests that the sector from Peniche to Nazaré is the more suitable location for nearshore wave energy exploitation, with annual wave energy around 200 MWh m À1 , closely followed by the adjacent sector from Nazaré to Figueira da Foz.

Renewable Energy, 2010

The wave energy resource of the SE Bay of Biscay is investigated using wave buoy data and a hindcast data set covering a 44-year period (1958e2001). Of the total 13 study sites, three correspond to wave buoys (two coastal, one in deep-water) and the rest to hindcast data points. First, the resource is quantifieddannual wave energy is found to exceed 200 MWh m À1 at all the sites (with the exception of the coastal buoys), and average wave power is in the region of 25 kW m À1 . This substantial resource is the result of the Bay of Biscay's position at the eastern end of the Atlantic Ocean together with the wind regime of the mid-latitudes (prevailing westerlies). Second, the resource is characterised in terms of sea state parameters. The bulk of the annual wave energy is provided by waves with significant wave heights of 1.5e4.0 m, energy periods of 10.5e13.5 s, and mean deep-water direction NWeWNW. Finally, wave interaction with the irregular bathymetry gives rise, in certain nearshore areas, to significant concentrations of wave energy. These hot spots have the highest potential as prospective wave farm sites; their locations are determined using numerical modelling.