Nearshore assessment of wave energy resources in central Chile (2009–2010)

D.G. Mediavilla and H.H. Sepúlveda

Renewable Energy, 2016, vol. 90, issue C, 136-144

Abstract: The goal of this work is to estimate nearshore wave energy resources in central Chile with high spatial resolution. Due to the lack of in situ measurements a suite of numerical models are used to assess the wave energy between 2009 and 2010. We compare the effects of different wind forcing reanalysis, particularly CFSR and ERA-Interim, and physics parametrizations on numerical simulations of the nearshore wave energy fluxes near Valparaiso (33°S), central Chile. For this we utilize WAVEWATCH III®, an open source community spectral wave model, configured with a high resolution unstructured grid (200–400 m at the coast). Our results show a difference of 3 kW/m in wave power estimations when using different wind reanalysis, and less a difference of less than 0.5 kW/m when adding the triad wave interactions term. Statistical indicators calculated using buoy and altimeter data for comparison favor the use of ERA-Interim winds and including triad wave interactions. For the Valparaiso region, the area south of Punta Curaumilla was confirmed as a hot spot of wave energy (4–5 MW/yr), with the most energetic and frequent sea state described by Te of 9–11 s and H_s 2.5–3.5 m.

Keywords: WAVEWATCH III®; Wave energy; Nearshore; Numerical model; Chile (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (21)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:renene:v:90:y:2016:i:c:p:136-144

DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2015.12.066

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