Wave Climate Resource Analysis Based on a Revised Gamma Spectrum for Wave Energy Conversion Technology

Jeremiah Pastor and Yucheng Liu
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Jeremiah Pastor: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA
Yucheng Liu: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39760, USA

Sustainability, 2016, vol. 8, issue 12, 1-14

Abstract: In order to correctly predict and evaluate the response of wave energy converters (WECs), an accurate representation of wave climate resource is crucial. This paper gives an overview of wave resource modeling techniques and applies a methodology to estimate the naturally available and technically recoverable resource in a given deployment site. The methodology was initially developed by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), which uses a modified gamma spectrum to interpret sea state hindcast parameter data produced by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) WaveWatch III. This gamma spectrum is dependent on the calibration of two variables relating to the spectral width parameter and spectral peakedness parameter. In this study, this methodology was revised by the authors to increase its accuracy in formulating wavelength. The revised methodology shows how to assess a given geographic area’s wave resource based on its wave power density and total annual wave energy flux.

Keywords: wave spectra; wave climate analysis; wave power absorption; wave power density; wave energy flux (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (20)

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