Energy of marine currents in the Strait of Gibraltar and its potential as a renewable energy resource

María Concepción Calero Quesada, Jesús García Lafuente, José Carlos Sánchez Garrido, Simone Sammartino and Javier Delgado

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2014, vol. 34, issue C, 98-109

Abstract: A non-hydrostatic hydrodynamic model of the Strait of Gibraltar with high spatial and temporal resolution has been used to assess suitable areas for energy extraction from marine currents. The model shows great spatial variability of the available energy flux, ranging from 200Wm−2 to more than 1800Wm−2. In addition to the mean energy flux, other properties and characteristics of the flow such as permanence and direction of the currents, vertical shear or occurrence of unwanted high frequency internal waves have been merged into an index that is used in this work as a proxy for the suitability of a given place to install a power plant. This index highlights two zones gathering the required conditions: the subsurface layer of the eastern half of the strait and the near-bottom layer of Espartel sill at the westernmost gateway of the strait.

Keywords: Strait of Gibraltar; Energy fluxes; Tidal energy; Unidirectional currents (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:rensus:v:34:y:2014:i:c:p:98-109

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DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2014.02.038

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