The Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula, which presents a highly seasonal and energetic wave climate, was used as case study.
Global wave energy inventories show that the West Coast of Canada possesses one of the most energetic wave climates in the world, with an annual wave energy flux of 40 50 kW/m at the continental shelf.
Results indicate that even for low energetic wave trains, the device is able to capture energy and amplify the water velocity, which is indeed energy conversion capacity.
As the analyzed technologies were designed for more energetic wave climates, smaller devices have been considered, downscaled according to the Froude similarity criterion, in order to match Mediterranean wave conditions.
Open image in new window Fig. 6 A Analysis of irregular offshore wave data at Flic-en-Flac for the month of April: a time series of significant wave height; b spectral time series of surface waves recorded; c zoomed images of energetic wave events occurring during the 18 days period at Flic-en-Flac.
B Analysis of irregular offshore wave data at Tamarin for the month of April: a time series of significant wave height; b spectral time series of surface waves recorded; c zoomed images of energetic wave events occurring during the 26 days period at Tamarin.
The most commonly occurring wave state has significant wave height in the interval 0.15 0.25m and energy period in the interval 5.05 5.15s while the most energetic wave state occurs for significant wave height in the interval of 0.75 0.85m and energy period in the interval 5.25 and 5.30s.
The most commonly occurring wave state has significant wave height in the interval 0.25 0.45 m and energy period in the interval 11.2 12.2s while the most energetic wave state occurs for significant wave height in the interval of 0.58 and 0.75m and energy period in the interval 11.8 and 12.8s.
