Tidal Current Energy Resource Distribution in Korea

Su-jin Hwang and Chul H. Jo
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Su-jin Hwang: Department of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering, Inha University, Incheon 22212, Korea
Chul H. Jo: Department of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering, Inha University, Incheon 22212, Korea

Energies, 2019, vol. 12, issue 22, 1-15

Abstract: Korea is a very well-known country for having abundant tidal current energy resources. There are many attractive coastal areas for the tidal current power that have very strong currents due to the high tidal range and the acceleration through the narrow channels between islands in the west and south coasts of the Korean peninsula. Recently, the Korean government announced a plan that aims to increase the portion of electricity generated from renewable energy to 20% by 2030. Korea has abundant tidal current energy resources; however, as reliable resource assessment results of tidal current energy are not sufficient, the portion of tidal current power is very small in the plan. Therefore, a reliable resource assessment should be conducted in order to provide a basis for the development plan. This paper describes the resource assessment of tidal current energy in Korea based on the observational data provided by KHOA (Korean Hydrographic and Oceanographic Agency) and numerical simulation of water circulation. As the observational data were unable to present the detailed distribution of the complicated tidal current between islands, numerical simulation of water circulation was used to describe the detailed distribution of tidal current in Incheon-Gyeonggi and Jeollanam-do, where the tidal energy potentials are abundant. The west and south coastal areas of Korea were divided into seven regions according to the administrative district, and the theoretical tidal current potential was calculated using average power intercepted. The results of this research can provide the insight of the tidal current energy development plan in Korea.

Keywords: tidal current power; resource assessment; API (average power intercepted); PD (power density); tidal current observational data; numerical simulation of water circulation (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: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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