Resource Scalability at Wave Energy Test Sites

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brendan Cahill
Keyword(s):  
Wave Energy ◽  
Energy Resource ◽  
Ocean Waves ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Full Scale ◽  
Physical Models ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Marine Energy ◽  
Lake Washington ◽  
Guide Device

Harnessing the power of ocean waves offers enormous potential as a source of renewable energy. To date the technologies for capturing this resource, collectively known as wave energy converters (WECs), have yet to reach commercial viability and continued research and development efforts are required to move wave energy to the industrial scale. Integral to this process is ensuring that technologies progress along a staged development pathway; proving WEC concepts using small scale physical models in controlled settings such as laboratory wave tanks before eventually advancing to testing sub-prototype and full scale devices in real sea conditions. The primary objective of this research is to improve the understanding of how best to address the scaling of wave resource measurements and wave energy device power production when analyzing the results of sea-trials. This paper draws on measured data from three test sites; Galway Bay in Ireland, the Pacific Marine Energy Test Centre off the coast of Oregon, and Lake Washington, and assesses how accurately they recreate, at reduced scale, the conditions that commercial WEC installations are likely to encounter at exposed deployment locations. Appropriate techniques for extrapolating these results to predict the performance of commercial WECs at energy-rich locations on the west coasts of Ireland and the US are also demonstrated and discussed. The output from this research will be a set of protocols for addressing wave energy resource scalability to help guide device developers through this important stage of technology progression. Improved knowledge regarding resource scalability will allow for more streamlined progression of WEC concepts from wave tanks to sea-trials, and eventually to full-scale ocean deployment. It will also result in a reduced uncertainty about device power output and survivability, which are key drivers in determining the economic viability of projects.

Technologising the wave

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-122
Author(s):  
Marfuga Iskandarova ◽  
Elena Simakova ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Wave Energy ◽  
Energy Resource ◽  
Ocean Waves ◽  
Resource Assessment ◽  
Natural Phenomenon ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Carbon Policy ◽  
Marine Energy ◽  
The Uk

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.

Design and Potential Application of Small Scale Wave Energy Converter

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tunde O. Aderinto ◽  
Francisco Haces-Fernandez ◽  
Hua Li
Keyword(s):  
Wave Energy ◽  
Energy Production ◽  
Energy Resource ◽  
Appropriate Technology ◽  
Wave Energy Converter ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Ocean Energy ◽  
Energy Converter ◽  
Wave Energy Converters ◽  
Wave Properties

Although theoretical available wave energy is higher than most of ocean energy sources, the commercial utilization of wave energy is much slower than other ocean energy sources. The difficulty of integration with the electrical grid system and the challenges of the installation, operation and maintenance of large energy generation and transmission systems are the major reasons. Even though there are successfully tested models of wave energy converters, the fact that wave energy is directly affected by wave height and wave period makes the actual wave energy output with high variation and difficult to be predicted. And most of the previous studies on wave energy and its utilization have focused on the large scale energy production that can be integrated into a power grid system. In this paper, the authors identify and discuss stand-alone wave energy converter systems and facilities that are not connected to the electricity grid with focus on small scale wave energy systems as potential source of energy. For the proper identification, qualification and quantification of wave energy resource potential, wave properties such as wave height and period need to be characterized. This is used to properly determine and predict the probability of the occurrence of these wave properties at particular locations, which enables the choice of product design, installation, operation and maintenance to effectively capture wave energy. Meanwhile, the present technologies available for wave energy converters can be limited by location (offshore, nearshore or shoreline). Therefore, the potential applications of small scale stand-alone wave energy converter are influenced by the demand, location of the need and the appropriate technology to meet the identified needs. The paper discusses the identification of wave energy resource potentials, the location and appropriate technology suitable for small scale wave energy converter. Two simplified wave energy converter designs are created and simulated under real wave condition in order to estimate the energy production of each design.

Using Remote Sensed Data for Wave Energy Resource Assessment

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. T. Pontes ◽  
M. Bruck
Keyword(s):  
Wave Height ◽  
Wave Energy ◽  
Wind Waves ◽  
Energy Resource ◽  
Ocean Waves ◽  
Resource Assessment ◽  
Altimeter Data ◽  
Zero Crossing ◽  
Frequency Wave ◽  
Buoy Data

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.

scholarly journals Modeling and Validation of an Electrohydraulic Power Take-Off System for a Portable Wave Energy Convertor with Compressed Energy Storage

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (17) ◽  
pp. 3378
Author(s):  
Hao Tian ◽  
Zijian Zhou ◽  
Yu Sui
Keyword(s):  
Energy Storage ◽  
Wave Energy ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Ocean Waves ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Traditional Architecture ◽  
Power Circuit ◽  
Lumped Parameter ◽  
Efficient Power

Small-scale, portable generation of electricity from ocean waves provides a versatile solution to power the ocean sensors network, in addition to the traditional large-scale wave energy conversion facilities. However, one issue of small-scale wave energy convertor (WEC) is the low capturable power density, challenging the design of the efficient power take-off (PTO) system. To tackle this challenge, in this paper, an electrohydraulic PTO system with compressed energy storage was proposed to boost output power of a portable WEC. Lumped-parameter kinematics and dynamics of the four-bar mechanism, the fluid dynamics of the digital fluid power circuit, and the mechanical and volumetric power losses were modeled and experimentally validated. Initial test results of the 0.64 m2 footprint prototype showed that the inclusion of storage improved the averaged electric power output over 40 times compared to the traditional architecture, and the proposed device can deliver up to 122 W at peaks.

scholarly journals Wind and wave energy resource of Germany reported by ERA-Interim reanalysis data

2019 ◽  
Vol 122 ◽  
pp. 04003
Author(s):  
Eugen Rusu ◽  
Florin Onea
Keyword(s):  
Wave Energy ◽  
Energy Resource ◽  
Wind Farms ◽  
Reanalysis Data ◽  
Offshore Wind ◽  
Time Interval ◽  
Offshore Wind Farms ◽  
The North ◽  
Marine Energy ◽  
Suitable Area

The aim of this work is to identify the most suitable offshore wind farms from Germany that present relevant wave conditions, suitable for the development of a wave energy project. By using the ERA-Interim data (wind and waves) reported for the time interval from 1999 and 2018, was possible to identify the more important areas, by taking also into account the seasonal distributions. Several wave energy converters were considered for assessment, for which a capacity factor located between 2.5% and 14% was reported, better results being accounted by the Seabased system (rated at 15 kW). Finally, we canconcluded that the North Sea represent an important area in terms of the marine energy and since at this moment there are operational wave projects, this will represent a suitable area for the development of a mixed wind-wave project.

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.

An examination of rapid, centrifuge physical modeling studies of contaminant movement in freezing soil

Polar Record ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 35 (192) ◽  
pp. 11-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah J. Goodings
Keyword(s):  
Physical Simulation ◽  
Fluid Phase ◽  
Full Scale ◽  
Centrifuge Modeling ◽  
Physical Models ◽  
Soil Freezing ◽  
System Response ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Soil System ◽  
Freezing Soil

AbstractThis paper reviews the complex factors interacting in the movement of contaminants in soil subject to seasonal freezing. This includes those relevant to the soil itself, the contaminant itself, and environmental factors, all of which must be understood for prediction and effective design of remediation. Numerical modelers, as well as laboratory researchers examining behavior of small elements of the soil system, require reliable information on the range of full-scale system responses, but it is not feasible to acquire this by full-scale tests. Even field workers benefit from this information in planning data collection. Small physical models of contaminants moving through soil have routinely been limited in their usefulness because of differences in model fluid pressures and soil stresses, compared to full-scale conditions. However, small-scale centrifuge modeling presents the opportunity to produce correct and rapid physical simulation of full-scale system response using field soil and real contaminants, under the range of different boundary conditions. This paper discusses the existing recent centrifuge modeling work that supports the thesis that the technique can be applied to understanding and analyzing this complex problem. Five studies are reviewed: one on simulation of soil freezing effects in the absence of contaminants; three on the simulation of contaminant movement through saturated and unsaturated unfrozen soil, and heat transport effects through the fluid phase of unfrozen soils; and one that simulates the combination of contaminant movement in freezing soil.

On Design and Building of a U-OWC Wave Energy Converter in the Mediterranean Sea: A Case Study

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felice Arena ◽  
Alessandra Romolo ◽  
Giovanni Malara ◽  
Alfredo Ascanelli
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Wave Energy ◽  
Electrical Power ◽  
Ocean Waves ◽  
Full Scale ◽  
Design Stage ◽  
Peak Period ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Caisson Breakwater

Since the nineties, the OWC (Oscillating Water Column) plants were developed at full scale to produce electrical power from ocean waves [1]. A prototype was built into a caisson breakwater of the Sakata Port, in Japan; other plants were built in India, in Scotland at Islay, in Portugal at the Azores. A new plant was built in Mutriku (Spain) recently. A new kind of OWC caisson, named U-OWC or REWEC3, was proposed by Boccotti [2]. With respect to a traditional OWC, a U-OWC plant includes an additional vertical duct, which enables to tune the eigenperiod of the plant to the peak period of the wave pressures acting on the converter-breakwater. In this way, resonance conditions can be reached without phase control devices and the wave pressures into the air pocket are increased in amplitude, amplifying the performance of the plant. In 2012, a full scale U-OWC (REWEC3) breakwater has been designed in Italy, for the harbour of Civitavecchia (the port of Rome – Port Authority of Civitavecchia). Such a breakwater embodies 19 caissons, each including 8 cells, 34m long. The paper disseminates the key issues pertaining the design stage. Further, it describes the main phases of the construction stage. The building of the caisson started in October 2012. The first caisson has been completed at the end of 2012. It is the first device for wave energy in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the biggest in the world.

scholarly journals FULL-SCALE PROTOTYPE OF AN OVERTOPPING BREAKWATER FOR WAVE ENERGY CONVERSION

2017 ◽  
pp. 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pasquale Contestabile ◽  
Ferrante Vincenzo ◽  
Enrico Di Lauro ◽  
Diego Vicinanza
Keyword(s):  
Energy Conversion ◽  
Wave Energy ◽  
Energy Production ◽  
Wave Interaction ◽  
Full Scale ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Scaling Effects ◽  
Comprehensive Overview ◽  
Rubble Mound ◽  
Traditional Structures

The Overtopping BReakwater for Energy Conversion (OBREC) is a new typology of overtopping wave energy converter (OTD) integrated into a traditional rubble mound breakwater. The device can be considered as an innovative non-conventional breakwater that has the same functions as the traditional structures with the added-valued of the energy production. The paper presents a comprehensive overview of the OBREC, offering a synthesis of the complete design process, from the results of the two complementary test campaigns in small scale carried out in 2012 and 2014 at Aalborg University, to the description of the full-scale device installed in Naples in 2016. The device represents the first OTD device in full-scale integrated into an existing rubble mound breakwater and it has been equipped by an instrumental apparatus to measure its response to the wave interaction. The monitoring of the full-scale device in the port of Naples, particularly during storm conditions, is aimed to study the scaling effects in wave loading and the overall performance of this breakwater-integrated OTD, included performance in terms of the energy production.

North Carolina Wave Energy Resource: Hydrogen Production Potential

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gagee Raut ◽  
Navid Goudarzi
Keyword(s):  
North Carolina ◽  
Hydrogen Production ◽  
Wave Energy ◽  
Alternative Energy ◽  
Energy Resource ◽  
Ocean Waves ◽  
Renewable Energy Resources ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Density Values ◽  
The Cost

Growing concerns about global warming and depletion of fossil fuel have resulted in exploring alternative energy solutions such as renewable energy resources. Among those, marine and hydrokinetic and in particular wave energy have drawing more interest. Ocean waves are predictable, less variable, and offer higher energy density values. As per National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), North Carolina ranks 6th with total 484 km coastline length. In this work, six-year National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) wave data from five stations along the North Carolina shore including Wilmington Harbor, Mansonboro Inlet, Oregon Inlet, and Duck FRF (17 and 26 m) are collected. The wave parameters such as wave height and period are analyzed and the potential wave power density values are calculated. The power production from the resource is estimated using wave energy converters. Storing excess energy in the form of hydrogen can be used for a variety of applications. Hence, the cost-performance analysis using the cost per unit method is conducted to obtain the maximum and average hydrogen production from the studied site. The results will be useful to a wide range of development activities in both academia and industry.

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