Spatial Environmental Assessment Tool (SEAT): A Modeling Tool to Evaluate Potential Environmental Risks Associated with Wave Energy Converter Deployments

Craig Jones, Grace Chang, Kaustubha Raghukumar, Samuel McWilliams, Ann Dallman and Jesse Roberts
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Craig Jones: Integral Consulting Inc., Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
Grace Chang: Integral Consulting Inc., Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
Kaustubha Raghukumar: Integral Consulting Inc., Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
Samuel McWilliams: Integral Consulting Inc., Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
Ann Dallman: Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87123, USA
Jesse Roberts: Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87123, USA

Energies, 2018, vol. 11, issue 8, 1-19

Abstract: Wave energy converter (WEC) arrays deployed in coastal regions may create physical disturbances, potentially resulting in environmental stresses. Presently, limited information is available on the nature of these physical disturbance or the resultant effects. A quantitative Spatial Environmental Assessment Tool (SEAT) for evaluating the potential effects of wave energy converter (WEC) arrays on nearshore hydrodynamics and sediment transport is presented for the central Oregon coast (USA) through coupled numerical model simulations of an array of WECs. Derived climatological wave conditions were used as inputs to the model to allow for the calculation of risk metrics associated with various hydrodynamic and sediment transport variables such as maximum shear stress, bottom velocity, and change in bed elevation. The risk maps provided simple, quantitative, and spatially-resolved means of evaluating physical changes in the vicinity of a hypothetical WEC array in response to varying wave conditions. The near-field risk of sediment mobility was determined to be moderate in the lee of the densely spaced array, where the potential for increased sediment deposition could result in benthic habitat alteration. Modifications to the nearshore sediment deposition and erosion patterns were observed near headlands and topographic features, which could have implications for littoral sediment transport. The results illustrate the benefits of a risk evaluation tool for facilitating coastal resource management at early market marine renewable energy sites.

Keywords: marine renewable energy; ocean energy; wave energy; environmental effects; wave modeling; wave propagation; numerical modeling; sediment dynamics; risk assessment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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