Turbines’ effects on water renewal within a marine tidal stream energy site

Guillou, Nicolas; Thiebot, Jérôme; Chapalain, Georges

doi:10.1016/j.energy.2019.116113

Cited by 14 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 50 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…This local assessment was complemented by a comparison with in-situ ADCP current observations, acquired by the French Navy SHOM ("Service Hydrographique et Océanographique de la Marine"), at three locations in and around the Fromveur Strait [24,36,43]. The model reproduced, in particular, the magnitudes of tidal currents within the Strait with a normalized RMSE of 14.1% over the period of the observations (between 20 March and 2 April 1993) [36] (Fig. 5).…”

Section: (B) Model Validationmentioning

confidence: 93%

Spatio-temporal variability of tidal-stream energy in north-western Europe

Guillou

Neill

Thiebot

2020

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Initial selection of tidal stream energy sites is primarily based on identifying areas with the maximum current speeds. However, optimal design and deployment of turbines requires detailed investigations of the temporal variability of the available resource, focusing on areas with reduced variability, and hence the potential for more continuous energy supply. These aspects are investigated here for some of the most promising sites for tidal array development across the north-western European shelf seas: the Alderney Race, the Fromveur Strait, the Pentland Firth and the channels of Orkney. Particular attention was dedicated to asymmetry between the flood and ebb phases of the tidal cycle (due to the phase relationship between M 2 and M 4 constituents), and spring-neap variability of the available resource (due to M 2 and S 2 compound tides). A series of high-resolution models were exploited to (i) produce a detailed harmonic database of these three components, and (ii) characterize, using energy resource metrics, temporal variability of the available power density. There was a clear contrast between the Alderney Race, with reduced temporal variability over semi-diurnal and fortnightly time scales, and sites in western Brittany and North Scotland which, due to increased variability, appeared less attractive for optimal energy conversion. This article is part of the theme issue ‘New insights on tidal dynamics and tidal energy harvesting in the Alderney Race’.

show abstract

Section: (B) Model Validationmentioning

confidence: 93%

Spatio-temporal variability of tidal-stream energy in north-western Europe

Guillou

Neill

Thiebot

2020

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…High-spatial resolution simulations were thus exploited to characterize the tide-induced Lagrangian Residual Circulation (LRC) and evaluate changes induced by operating turbines [24,28]. Additional simulations focused on the renewal capacity of Ushant-Molène archipelago [12]. The hydrodynamic model was thus coupled with a transport advection-diffusion equation to simulate the decay of a tracer concentration within a control domain surrounding the Fromveur Strait.…”

Section: Predictionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A clear contrast was therefore exhibited between (i) sites located off the Cotentin Peninsula in the English Channel (and including the Alderney Race) with reduced variability (A sn < 0.33) and (ii) the north-western part of the Sea of Iroise with increased variability (A sn > 0.42). However, Guillou et al [3] derived a high-resolution tidal current harmonic database from the tidal analysis of predictions at a spatial resolution of 50 m in the Fromveur Strait [12,44], thus providing a refined definition of A sn spatial patterns in the area of interest ( Figure 6). This investigation exhibited reduced spring-neap tidal variability (i) in the central part of the strait and (ii) in the area surrounding the Molène archipelago that contrasted with the variability exhibited offshore and around the island of Ushant.…”

Section: Spring-neap Tidal Variabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Complementing this investigation of the LRC, the ecological robustness of the marine system was evaluated by (i) simulating the decay of a tracer concentration within a control domain surrounding the Ushant-Molène archipelago and (ii) evaluating changes to tidal stream energy extraction [12]. The attention was therefore dedicated to the evolution of the concentration of a neutrally-buoyant dye averaged within the control domain (between longitudes 5.23 o W and 4.74 o W and latitudes 48.30 o N and 48.58 o N) and over M 2 tidal cycles (as tidal oscillations may influence the evaluation of times concentration decay) ( Figure 11).…”

Section: Effects On Water Renewalmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This concerns especially the potential impacts of wind and wind-generated surface-gravity waves that may alter tidal currents and associated power density [11]. As tidal stream energy sites (and especially tidal straits) constitute a significant pathway for the transport of water in coastal marine systems, further investigations have to be conducted for evaluating the potential system-wide changes (hydrodynamic circulation and water-particles displacement) induced by tidal-stream energy extraction [12]. Refined assessments of the generated technical power, including the approach of turbine wake interactions and turbines hybridization options with other renewable resources, are finally fundamental to design the tidal farm with respect to local energy needs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

The Tidal Stream Energy Resource of the Fromveur Strait—A Review

Guillou

Charpentier

Benbouzid

2020

JMSE

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Refined assessments of the available tidal stream energy resource are required to optimize turbines design and guarantee successful implementations and operations of devices in the marine environment. Investigations primary focused on identifying areas with maximum current speeds. However, further information may be reached by exhibiting (i) resource temporal variability, (ii) superimposed effects of meteo-oceanographic conditions (including especially wind-generated surface-gravity waves), and (iii) potential environmental impacts of operating turbines at the regional (e.g., changes in sediment transport and surrounding seabed features, effects on marine water quality, etc.) and local (wake-wake interactions and energy output) scales. These aspects are here investigated by reviewing a series of research studies dedicated to the Fromveur Strait off western Brittany, a region with strong potential for tidal array development along the coast of France. Particular attention is dedicated to the exploitation of combined in-situ and remote-sensing observations and numerical simulations. Beyond a site specific characterization of the tidal stream energy resource, this review promotes a series of original approaches and analysis methods for turbines optimization, thus complementing technical specifications to secure the key steps of a tidal energy project and promote the growth of a reliable tidal stream energy exploitation.

show abstract