Effect of Sea Level Rise and Access Channel Deepening on Future Tidal Power Plants in Buenaventura Colombia

Abstract

The evolution of tidal stream turbines is increasing the feasibility of future tidal plants in shallow depth areas with mid-tidal ranges (<5 m). However, extreme events such as changes in bathymetry due to the access channel deepening of coastal ports and sea level rise modify hydrodynamics and might affect the infrastructure and energy production of tidal energy converters. This research focused on Buenaventura Bay to analyze the effect of these extreme events on marine currents through calibrated-validated numerical modeling. Several monitored points were analyzed, and the results highlighted that the bay has potential for implementing tidal stream turbines because of the reported velocities between 0.25 and 2 m/s. The sea level rise increased 11.39% and access channel deepening reduced by 17.12% the velocity currents of the bay, respectively. These findings convert Buenaventura Bay to a candidate for implementing third generation tidal stream turbines and motivate future research for implementing tidal power systems in crucial areas such as the Colombian Pacific, where communities face restrictions in accessing affordable and clean energy.