Tidal energy resource assessment in the Strait of Magellan in the Chilean Patagonia

Leandro Suarez, Maricarmen Guerra, Megan E. Williams and Cristián Escauriaza

Renewable Energy, 2025, vol. 252, issue C

Abstract: The tidal energy sector is advancing rapidly, with multiple projects demonstrating the reliability of devices to generate clean electricity. As technology converges and matures, detailed tidal resource characterization is essential for identifying and assessing viable deployment sites. This investigation examines the tidal energy potential in the Strait of Magellan, a key connection between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans in the Chilean Patagonia known for its strong tidal currents. A high-resolution, unstructured-mesh numerical model calibrated with field data from Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCP) and tidal gauges at the two main narrows of the Strait is implemented. The model is used to estimate power densities and assess energy yields under various turbine-rated velocities and operational scenarios. Results indicate sustained power densities exceeding 1 kW/m2 over a 67 km2 area throughout a lunar month, with localized peaks reaching 10 kW/m2 during spring tide. Energy yield simulations using synthetic power curves suggest promising sites for first and second generation tidal turbines. This study offers the first high-resolution model of tidal resources in the Strait of Magellan, highlighting its potential as a leading site for tidal energy generation in the southern hemisphere.

Keywords: Magellan strait; Tidal energy; Numerical modeling; Resource assessment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960148125010924
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:renene:v:252:y:2025:i:c:s0960148125010924

DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2025.123430

Access Statistics for this article

Renewable Energy is currently edited by Soteris A. Kalogirou and Paul Christodoulides

More articles in Renewable Energy from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().