Near-Shore Floating Wave Energy Converters: Applications for Coastal Protection

Ruol, Piero; Zanuttigh, Barbara; Martinelli, Luca; Kofoed, Peter; Frigaard, Peter

doi:10.9753/icce.v32.structures.61

Cited by 25 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…The influence of wave energy extraction by the Wave Energy Converters (WECs) forming a wave farm on the nearshore wave conditions was recently shown by different authors (Carballo and Iglesias, 2013;Iglesias and Carballo, 2014;Mendoza et al, 2014;Millar et al, 2007;Palha et al, 2010;Ruol et al, 2011;Smith et al, 2012;Veigas et al, 2014b,c;Vidal et al, 2007;Zanuttigh and Angelelli, 2013). Abanades et al (2014b) proved that this extraction resulted in a medium-term reduction of the erosion exceeding 20% in some sections of the beach profile (2D).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Wave farm impact on beach modal state

2015

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wave energy wave farm nearshore impact beach morphology conceptual beach model sediment transportThe extraction of wave energy by the Wave Energy Converters (WECs) forming a wave farm results in a milder wave climate in its lee, which can have an impact on coastal processes. The objective of this work is to determine whether the beach morphology can be altered by the operation of the wave farm, and if so, to quantify this alteration. For this purpose, we examine how the farm affects the modal state of the beach with reference to a baseline (no farm) scenario. The modal state is defined based on an empirical classification that accounts for wave conditions, tidal regime and sediment size. As a beach typically goes through different modal states, we determine the percentages of time in an average year corresponding to each state in the baseline scenario, and how these percentages are altered by a wave farm as a function of its distance from the coast. This methodology is illustrated through a case study: Perranporth Beach (UK), an area of great potential for wave energy development. Highresolution numerical modelling is used, with two levels of grid refinement. We find that the wave farm has a relevant impact on the modal state of the system, which passes from wave-dominated to tide-dominated during significant periods of time. The sensitivity analysis, involving three cases with the farm at distances of 2 km, 4 km and 6 km from the beach, showed that the farm-to-coast distance plays a major role. Thus, the shift from a waveto a tide-dominated beach is exacerbated in the case of the wave farm closest to the coastline, with the submarine bar vanishing over long periods of time. We conclude that the presence of the wave farm drastically alters the morphological response of the beach, and that this alteration is strongly dependent on the farm-to-coast distance.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Wave farm impact on beach modal state

2015

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“…Harris et al (2011) considered the scour associated with offshore wind installations and raised the importance of scour to wave energy developments. Early work that considered the far-field impact of WEC arrays on sediment dynamics assessed the suitability of WECs as a form of coastal defence-both for a hypothetical scenario (Zanuttigh et al 2010) and the case study of Milano Marittima, Italy (Ruol et al 2011). Whitehouse 1998).…”

Section: Offshore Devicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Marine Renewable Energy

Yang¹,

Copping²

2017

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“…With a vast resource and a very active R&D community, wave energy is expected to become a major renewable in the coming decades, with wave farms deployed in a number of coastal regions throughout the world (Bernhoff et al, 2006;Cornett, 2008;Folley and Whittaker, 2009;Guedes Soares et al, 2014;Carballo, 2009, 2010b;Pontes et al, 1998;Iglesias, 2013, 2014;Vicinanza et al, 2013). In previous work it was established that the extraction of wave energy by a nearshore wave farm results in a milder wave climate in its lee (Carballo and Iglesias, 2013;Iglesias and Carballo, 2014;Mendoza et al, 2014;Millar et al, 2007;Palha et al, 2010;Ruol et al, 2011;Smith et al, 2012;Veigas et al, 2014a;Veigas et al, 2014b;Vidal et al, 2007;Zanuttigh and Angelelli, 2013). The scientific hypothesis of this work is that this reduction in wave energy can be used for coastal erosion management, in particular in the case of a beach-dune system.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dual wave farms for energy production and coastal protection

Abanades

Flor-Blanco

Flor

et al. 2018

Ocean & Coastal Management

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The synergetic application of wave farms, i.e., arrays of wave energy converters (WECs), for protecting the coast in addition to their main objective of generating carbon-free energy can place this renewable resource as a major element in ocean and coastal management. In particular, their ability to mitigate coastal erosion by reducing the amount of wave power reaching the coast will be put to useand this is the motivation for this work. We propose a new approach in which the wave farm has a dual purpose: to generate carbon-free energy and to contribute to coastal erosion management. We illustrate this approach by means of a case study: a dual-purpose wave farm off Xago, a beach-dune system in Asturias (N Spain) subject to severe erosion-manifested dramatically in the retreat of the dune-and located in the area earmarked for the first wave farm in Spain. The objective of this work is to establish whether or not the wave farm may be useful to counter the erosion of the beach-dune system. To this end a wave propagation model is coupled with a state-of-the-art coastal processes model and applied to analyse the response of the system under storm conditions in two scenarios: with and without the farm. The efficiency of the wave farm in mitigating erosion is determined by comparing the results in both scenarios by means of a series of coastal indicators defined ad hoc. We find that the farm reduces storm-induced erosion particularly where it is most acute, in the dune front, and thus contributes to alleviate the current erosive trends. This opens up exciting possibilities of using dual wave farms in lieu of, or as a complement to, coastal structures or beach nourishment. As wave energy develops into a major renewable energy source in the coming decades, dual wave farms are poised to constitute a breakthrough in coastal erosion management.

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Near-Shore Floating Wave Energy Converters: Applications for Coastal Protection

Cited by 25 publications

References 7 publications

Wave farm impact on beach modal state

Wave farm impact on beach modal state

Marine Renewable Energy

Dual wave farms for energy production and coastal protection

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