About the Use of 3rd Generation Wave Prediction Models for Estimating the Performance of Wave Energy Converters in Coastal Regions

Jean-Baptiste Saulnier (1) , Thomas Soulard (1) , Y. Perignon (1) , Izan Le Crom (1) , Aurélien Babarit (1)

1 LHEEA - Laboratoire de recherche en Hydrodynamique, Énergétique et Environnement Atmosphérique

This paper addresses the common uncertainties introduced into the long-term performance estimation of wave energy converters in coastal regions by using 3 rd -generation model wave data as input of the simulator. Indeed, the variability observed in hindcast results induces variability in the energy converted by devices, with implications on the long-term power figures. A comparison with estimates based on three different wave model data sources (produced from the WAM, Wave Watch III and SWAN wind-wave models) and buoy measurement data in the nearshore region of the French marine energy test site SEM-REV is made. The paper raises the fact that, in general, a non-negligible error is obtained – even when the wind-wave model has been appropriately designed to the local wave physics – with respect to real converted power values, which in turn results in significantly biased long-term averaged power numbers.

Mots clés: Wave modelling; Wave dissipation; Nearshore effects; Wave Energy Converters; Performance assessment

Domaines: Mécanique des fluides [physics.class-ph]

Jean-Baptiste Saulnier, Thomas Soulard, Y. Perignon, Izan Le Crom, Aurélien Babarit. About the Use of 3rd Generation Wave Prediction Models for Estimating the Performance of Wave Energy Converters in Coastal Regions. EWTEC, 2013, Aalborg, Denmark. ⟨hal-01157618⟩