Integrated Resource Mapping of Wave and Wind Energy

Abstract

A common platform of wind and wave energy conversion should reduce upfront as well as maintenance costs relative to wave and offshore wind energy converters installed separately. For this cost reduction to happen, temporally integrated resource estimate of wind and wave at a given coordinate is desirable so that areas of high wind and wave energy convergences can be identified. In this paper, a combined energy resource potential of wave and wind modeling procedure is shown using the California coast as a case study, mapped for three distinct years: a “calm” year, an El Nino year, and a recent “normal” year allowing model analyses of a range of possible weather conditions and sea states along the coastline.