Evaluating the Future Efficiency of Wave Energy Converters along the NW Coast of the Iberian Peninsula

Américo S. Ribeiro, Maite deCastro, Liliana Rusu, Mariana Bernardino, João M. Dias and Moncho Gomez-Gesteira
Additional contact information
Américo S. Ribeiro: CESAM, Physics Department, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
Maite deCastro: Environmental Physics Laboratory (EphysLab), CIM-UVIGO, University of Vigo, Campus da Auga building, 32004 Ourense, Spain
Liliana Rusu: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, ‘Dunarea de Jos’ University of Galati, 47 Domneasca Street, 800 201 Galati, Romania
Mariana Bernardino: Centre for Marine Technology and Ocean Engineering (CENTEC), Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
João M. Dias: CESAM, Physics Department, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
Moncho Gomez-Gesteira: Environmental Physics Laboratory (EphysLab), CIM-UVIGO, University of Vigo, Campus da Auga building, 32004 Ourense, Spain

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 14, 1-15

Abstract: The efficiency of wave energy converters (WECs) is generally evaluated in terms of historical wave conditions that do not necessarily represent the conditions that those devices will encounter when put into operation. The main objective of the study is to assess the historical and near future efficiency and energy cost of two WECs (Aqua Buoy and Pelamis). A SWAN model was used to downscale the wave parameters along the NW coast of the Iberian Peninsula both for a historical period (1979–2005) and the near future (2026–2045) under the RCP 8.5 greenhouse scenario. The past and future efficiency of both WECs were computed in terms of two parameters that capture the relationship between sea states and the WEC power matrices: the load factor and the capture width. The wave power resource and the electric power capacity of both the WECs will decrease in the near future. The load factor for Aqua Buoy will decrease in the entire area, while it will remain unchanged for Pelamis in most of the area, except north of 43.5° N. The capture width and cost of energy will increase for both devices. The methodology here applied can be easily applied to any device and coastal domain under different climate change scenarios.

Keywords: wave power; wave energy converters; projected efficiency; SWAN; NW Iberian Peninsula (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: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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