Offshore wave potential of the Mediterranean Sea

Abstract

Abstract. Among the most promising ocean renewable energy sources, offshore wave energy stands out. In Europe, intensive research and development of offshore wave energy technologies has been carried out with the aim of contributing to the growing demand for clean energy. In order to assess the feasibility of the development of a wave energy device in a specific region, the reliable estimation of the local wave energy potential is crucial. In this work, the offshore wave energy potential for the Mediterranean Sea is presented in an annual and seasonal basis. The assessment is based on wave data from numerical wave simulation models obtained by ECMWF. These hindcast data are in the form of time series and cover a 35-year period (1979 -2013). In addition, in the same time scales the mean wave direction is estimated, a variable that is often omitted from similar analyses.

Tracing the Alkinoos Harbor of ancient Kerkyra, Greece, and reconstructing its paleotsunami history

“…The open Ionian Sea shows mean significant wave heights of 1.2–1.6 m (Cavaleri, )—its northern part and the neighboring Adriatic Sea are known for the lowest significant wave heights in the whole Mediterranean (Lionello et al., ). Wave data recorded near the Ionian island of Zakynthos, lying some 200 km to the southeast of Corfu, show a mean significant wave height of less than 1 m (HCMR, ) attesting to a very low annual wave energy level (Karathanasi, Soukissian, & Sifnioti, ). However, heavy storms may occur frequently, often linked to Sirocco or tropical‐type cyclones (Llasat, ), which are a known phenomenon during winter and autumn.…”

“…Wave data recorded near the Ionian island of Zakynthos, lying some 200 km to the southeast of Corfu, show a mean significant wave height of less than 1 m (HCMR, 2015) attesting to a very low annual wave energy level (Karathanasi, Soukissian, & Sifnioti, 2015). However, heavy storms may occur frequently, often linked to Sirocco or tropicaltype cyclones (Llasat, 2009), which are a known phenomenon during F I G U R E 1 0 Schematic timeline with the main historical events concerning ancient Corfu and major geoarchaeological findings from this study.…”

Marine Renewable Energy Clustering in the Mediterranean Sea: The Case of PELAGOS Project

“…Wave energy technologies present a diversity of design concepts dependent on the water depths, locations and wave characteristics hindering their progress to a fully commercial stage. The mean annual wave energy flux in the MS has been estimated for different time periods and wave data sources by various authors; see e.g., Liberti et al (2013); Karathanasi et al (2015); Soukissian T. H. et al (2017). Although the estimates for annual wave energy flux vary, the relevant assessments agree that the highest wave energetic area is the extended area between Sardinia and Balearic Islands, with around 9.5 kW/m according to Karathanasi et al (2015).…”

“…The mean annual wave energy flux in the MS has been estimated for different time periods and wave data sources by various authors; see e.g., Liberti et al (2013); Karathanasi et al (2015); Soukissian T. H. et al (2017). Although the estimates for annual wave energy flux vary, the relevant assessments agree that the highest wave energetic area is the extended area between Sardinia and Balearic Islands, with around 9.5 kW/m according to Karathanasi et al (2015). Other productive areas are the Levantine and the Ionian basins, the central-northern Aegean Sea and the area between Sicily and Tunisia.…”

Probabilistic modelling of linear and directional wind and wave data with applications to the marine environment

“…Reanalysis wave data from the ERA-Interim database for four grid points located in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea were used. The locations were selected according to their potential for development of wave energy projects due to their high estimates of wave energy flux; see for example, Ayat (2013); Karathanasi et al (2015); Besio et al (2016); Emmanouil et al (2016).…”