Full-Scale Prototype of an Overtopping Breakwater for Wave Energy Conversion

Contestabile, Pasquale; Ferrante, Vincenzo; Lauro, Enrico Di; Vicinanza, Diego

doi:10.9753/icce.v35.structures.12

Cited by 37 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 25 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…By the co-location of wind and wave generators, also the nearshore or shoreline devices are further promoted. Especially for the last case, devices embedded within coastal [93,[105][106][107][108][109] or offshore infrastructures could be also combined with desalination plants. That solution has been recently considered in depth from many Authors (e.g., [110][111][112][113]).…”

Section: Additional Considerations and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Offshore Wind and Wave Energy Assessment around Malè and Magoodhoo Island (Maldives)

et al. 2017

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract:The Maldives are situated in the remote equatorial Indian Ocean, covering 900 km from north to south. The 26 coral atolls forming the archipelago are composed of sand and coral with a maximum height of about 2.30 m above the mean sea level. Periodic flooding from storm surges and the frequent freshwater scarcity are perceived by the population and the economic operators as the major environmental stresses. Moreover, the strong dependence on imported fossil fuels increases, even more, the environmental concerns. Diesel, in fact, still represents the main source of power generation, typically through privately managed small diesel sets. The real challenge for this area is to promote the environmental quality with socioeconomic growth. The present study aims to evaluate the strategic effectiveness to face these issues by wave and offshore wind energy. Resources using a 10-year hindcast dataset are here examined. The annual offshore wave power was found to range between 8.46 kW/m and 12.75 kW/m, while the 10 m and 100 m mean wind power density is respectively 0.08 kW/m 2 and 0.16 kW/m 2 . Based on these results, an environmentally and socio-economically sustainable best-case scenario is constructed and two atoll islands (Malè and Magoodhoo) are specifically investigated. As a result, multifunctional structures and multi-use systems, which combine power generation, desalinization and coastal defence, are strongly recommended.

show abstract

Section: Additional Considerations and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Offshore Wind and Wave Energy Assessment around Malè and Magoodhoo Island (Maldives)

et al. 2017

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Following the concept of the integration of WECs in a breakwater and starting from previous works on WEC systems, such as Wave Dragon [14] and the Sea-wave Slot-cone Generator [15][16][17][18][19][20][21], an innovative built integrated device called OBREC (Overtopping BReakwater for Energy Conversion [8]) has been operating since January 2016 (Figure 1a,b) [22].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hydraulic Performance of an Innovative Breakwater for Overtopping Wave Energy Conversion

Iuppa

Contestabile²,

Cavallaro

et al. 2016

Sustainability

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract:The Overtopping BReakwaterfor Energy Conversion (OBREC) is an overtopping wave energy converter, totally embedded in traditional rubble mound breakwaters. The device consists of a reinforced concrete front reservoir designed with the aim of capturing the wave overtopping in order to produce electricity. The energy is extracted through low head turbines, using the difference between the water levels in the reservoir and the sea water level. This paper analyzes the OBREC hydraulic performances based on physical 2D model tests carried out at Aalborg University (DK). The analysis of the results has led to an improvement in the overall knowledge of the device behavior, completing the main observations from the complementary tests campaign carried out in 2012 in the same wave flume. New prediction formula are presented for wave reflection, the overtopping rate inside the front reservoir and at the rear side of the structure. Such methods have been used to design the first OBREC prototype breakwater in operation since January 2016 at Naples Harbor (Italy).

show abstract

“…The Overtopping BReakwater for Energy Conversion (OBREC) full-scale prototype at Naples harbour represents the world's first overtopping wave energy converter totally integrated into an existing breakwater [26]. The prototype has been installed replacing part of the rubble mound armour layer with a front reservoir designed with the aim of capturing the overtopping waves in order to produce electricity ( Figure 1).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Economic Assessment of Overtopping BReakwater for Energy Conversion (OBREC): A Case Study in Western Australia

et al. 2016

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This paper constructs an optimal configuration assessment, in terms of the financial returns, of the Overtopping BReakwater for wave Energy Conversion (OBREC). This technology represents a hybrid wave energy harvester, totally embedded in traditional rubble mound breakwaters. Nine case studies along the southern coast of Western Australia have been analysed. The technique provides tips on how to estimate the quality of the investments, for benchmarking with different turbine strategy layouts and overlapping with the costs of traditional rubble mound breakwaters. Analyses of the offshore and nearshore wave climate have been studied by a high resolution coastal propagation model, forced with wave data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). Inshore wave conditions have been used to quantify the exploitable resources. It has been demonstrated that the optimal investment strategy is nonlinearly dependent on potential electricity production due to outer technical constraints. The work emphasizes the importance of integrating energy production predictions in an economic decision framework for prioritizing adaptation investments.

show abstract

Full-Scale Prototype of an Overtopping Breakwater for Wave Energy Conversion

Cited by 37 publications

References 25 publications

Offshore Wind and Wave Energy Assessment around Malè and Magoodhoo Island (Maldives)

Offshore Wind and Wave Energy Assessment around Malè and Magoodhoo Island (Maldives)

Hydraulic Performance of an Innovative Breakwater for Overtopping Wave Energy Conversion

Economic Assessment of Overtopping BReakwater for Energy Conversion (OBREC): A Case Study in Western Australia

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About