Nearshore wave energy resource characterization along the East Coast of the United States

Seongho Ahn, Vincent S. Neary, Mohammad Nabi Allahdadi and Ruoying He

Renewable Energy, 2021, vol. 172, issue C, 1212-1224

Abstract: A feasibility level nearshore wave energy resource characterization is conducted for the East Coast of the United States using a 32-year (1979–2010) hindcast from a high-resolution unstructured-grid Simulating Waves Nearshore (SWAN) model with a spatial resolution of 200 m along the coastline. Wave energy resource attributes including wave energy potentials, seasonal variability, frequency and directional spreading, and extreme sea states are characterized using a broad range of resource parameters from which opportunities, risks, and constraints for wave energy conversion (WEC) projects are assessed. Cross-shore and alongshore variations of these parameters due to varying wave energy climate and coastline orientation relative to the dominant wave systems are examined. The present study also introduces a zero-crossing method for delineating wave energy climate regions based on a broad range of resource attributes beyond just wave power. Applying this method, eight nearshore wave energy climate regions are delineated for the East Coast; each region with a unique set of resource attributes to inform regional energy planning, WEC project development, conceptual WEC design, and the operation and maintenance of WEC projects.

Keywords: Nearshore wave energy; Wave energy resource parameter; Wave energy climate delineation; US East coast; SWAN (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:renene:v:172:y:2021:i:c:p:1212-1224

DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2021.03.037

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