Using Remote Sensed Data for Wave Energy Resource Assessment

Author(s):  
M. T. Pontes ◽  
M. Bruck

The conversion of the energy contained in ocean waves into an useful form of energy namely electrical energy requires the knowledge at least of wave height and period parameters. Since 1992 at least one altimeter has been accurately measuring significant wave height Hs. To derive wave period parameters namely zero-crossing period Tz from the altimeter backscatter coefficient various models have been proposed. Another space-borne sensor that measures ocean waves is SAR (or the advanced ASAR) from which directional spectra are obtained. In this paper various models proposed to compute Tz from altimeter data are presented and verified against a collocated set of Jason altimeter and NDBC buoy data. A good fitting of altimeter estimates to buoy data was found. Directional spectra obtained from ENVISAT ASAR measurements were compared against NDBC buoy data. It was concluded that for the buoys that are more sensitive to long low-frequency wave components the fitting of wave parameters and spectral form is good for short spatial distances. However, since the cut-off ASAR frequency is low (reliable information is provided only for long waves) their use for wave energy resource assessment in areas where wind-waves are important is limited.

Author(s):  
Ed Mackay ◽  
AbuBakr Bahaj ◽  
Chris Retzler ◽  
Peter Challenor

The use of altimeter measurements of significant wave height and energy period for quantifying wave energy resource is investigated. A new algorithm for calculating wave period from altimeter data, developed by the authors in previous work, is used to estimate the power generated by the Pelamis wave energy converter and compared to estimates from collocated buoy data. In offshore locations accurate estimates of monthly and annual mean power can be achieved by combining measurements from six altimeter missions. Furthermore, by averaging along sections of the altimeter ground track, we demonstrate that it is possible to gauge the spatial variability in nearshore areas, with a resolution of the order of 10 km. Although measurements along individual tracks are temporally sparse, with TOPEX/Poseidon and Jason on a 10 day repeat orbit, GFO 17 days, and ERS-2 and ENVISAT 35 days, the long record of altimeter measurements means that multi-year mean power from single tracks are of a useful accuracy.


2002 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 42-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. T. Pontes ◽  
L. Cavaleri ◽  
Denis Mollison

The aim of this paper is to provide a general view of wave energy resource assessment. First, a review of the origin of waves and the transformation they undergo as they propagate towards the coast through waters of decreasing depth is presented. Following this, the wave and wave-energy parameters and the statistics required for resource characterization are described. The various types of wave data and their usefulness for the present purposes are summarised. A common methodology for assessment of the wave energy resource is developed. Finally, a general description of the global open ocean resource is presented.


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-122
Author(s):  
Marfuga Iskandarova ◽  
Elena Simakova ◽  

Despite the recent shift from renewable energy to a low carbon policy, the UK policy discourse still recognises marine energy as part of the country’s future energy mix. Production of what we call an “assemblage” of technology and ocean waves triggers complex sets of initiatives that provide the basis for the economic viability and credibility of wave energy extraction. However, questions are rarely asked about how the natural phenomenon being part of this assemblage is construed as a resource to become a key element of promises and assessments of potential of renewable energy. This study sheds light on under-explored aspects of the credibility–economy and valuation practices formed around renewable energy that have not yet been problematised in social studies of energy. Arguing that ocean waves become an energy resource largely through resource assessment practices, we examine such practices in the context of the production of scientific and policy discourses around wave energy. Considering waves as an object of expertise, we examine how “wave data” constituted through measurements, statistical analysis, modelling and visualisation, contribute to the assessment and legitimisation of wave energy developments. We also evaluate the prospects for wave energy to be a “good” in future economic exchange.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 2070
Author(s):  
Ana Basañez ◽  
Vicente Pérez-Muñuzuri

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.


2013 ◽  
Vol 55 ◽  
pp. 480-489 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.P. Sierra ◽  
D. González-Marco ◽  
J. Sospedra ◽  
X. Gironella ◽  
C. Mösso ◽  
...  

2015 ◽  
Vol 42 (13) ◽  
pp. 5452-5459 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lonneke Goddijn-Murphy ◽  
Belén Martín Míguez ◽  
Jason McIlvenny ◽  
Philippe Gleizon

Author(s):  
Eliab R. Beserra ◽  
Andre´ L. T. Mendes ◽  
Segen F. Estefen ◽  
Carlos E. Parente

A variety of ocean wave energy conversion devices have been proposed worldwide considering different technology and energy extraction methods. In order to support full-scale prototype design and performance assessments of a conversion scheme to be deployed on the northern coast of Brazil, a long-term wave climate analysis is under development. A 5-year pitch-roll buoy data series has been investigated through an adaptive technique to enhance spatial resolution and allow for accurate wave directionality evaluation. Device design most influential variables such as extreme significant wave height, peak period and directionality were considered. Temporal variability in wave energy levels was particularly investigated for energy resource assessment. The major findings of this work include the narrow directional amplitude of the incident wave and higher significant wave heights of locally generated waves. The estimated energy resource levels agreed well with literature, also showing little annual fluctuation. The wave climate demonstrated to be in full agreement with the large-scale Equatorial Atlantic atmospheric variability, dominated by either local wind waves or by distant storm swells.


2017 ◽  
Vol 114 ◽  
pp. 46-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
V.M. Aboobacker ◽  
P.R. Shanas ◽  
M.A. Alsaafani ◽  
Alaa M.A. Albarakati

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ximun Lastiri ◽  
Stéphane Abadie ◽  
Philippe Maron ◽  
Matthias Delpey ◽  
Pedro Liria ◽  
...  

Wave resource assessment is the first step toward the installation of a wave energy converter (WEC). To support initiatives for wave energy development in the southwest of France, a coastal wave database is built from a 44-year hindcast simulation with the spectral wave model SWAN (Simulating WAve Nearshore) run on a high-resolution unstructured grid. The simulation includes shallow-water processes such as refraction, shoaling, and breaking. The model is validated against a five-year coastal wave buoy recording. The study shows that most of the resource is provided by sea states with wave heights ranging from 2 to 5 m, with wave periods from 10 and 15 s, and coming from a very narrow angular sector. The long hindcast duration and the refined unstructured grid used for the simulation allow assessment of the spatiotemporal distribution of wave energy across the coastal area. On the one hand, large longshore variations of the resource caused by steep bathymetric gradients such as the Capbreton submarine canyon are underlined. On the other hand, the study highlights that no specific long-term trend can be extracted regarding the coastal wave energy resource evolution. The provided downscaled local wave resource information may be used to optimize the location and design of a future WEC that could be deployed in the region.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document