Wave resource assessment using numerical wave modelling

Abstract: Wave resource assessment is the collection of site-specific meteorological data to estimate the wave potential in a region and is carried out to mitigate the risks involved in the setup of wave energy converters. Wave resource assessment has been typically done using wave buoys. But wave buoys are expensive and require constant maintenance for smooth operation. An alternative to wave buoys is numerical wave modelling. Numerical wave modelling uses mathematical models to generate computer simulations that describe wave parameters in a region. This project is carried out in the region of Hvide Sande, a western port city of Denmark situated in the North Sea. Wave resource assessment is conducted for this region using the SWAN numerical wave model. The data from a wave buoy in the region is used to perform comparative analysis, in order to study the SWAN wave model and to compare the accuracy of the wave data between the measured buoy and the calculated model. The accuracy of the numerical predictions is further quantified by using a correlation coefficient and the relative square root error. This is followed by a scatter diagram for the region to find the most frequent sea states. The corresponding energy flux of the most frequent sea states was found to be in the range of 1-5 kW/m and the highest energy flux for the area is about 40 kW/m for the region.