IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/appene/v147y2015icp510-522.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Characterising the spatial and temporal variability of the tidal-stream energy resource over the northwest European shelf seas

Author

Listed:
  • Robins, Peter E.
  • Neill, Simon P.
  • Lewis, Matt J.
  • Ward, Sophie L.

Abstract

As devices move from full-scale prototype to commercial installations, it is important that developers have detailed knowledge of the tidal energy resource. Therefore, the spatial distribution of the tidal currents over the northwest European shelf seas has been examined to improve understanding of the tidal-stream energy resource. Using a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model (ROMS) at ∼1km spatial resolution, and applying device characteristics of the Seagen-S turbine, we show that the ratio of the amplitudes of the M2 and S2 tidal currents can lead to significant variability in annual practical power generation – variability that is not accounted for when considering only the mean peak spring tidal velocities, as is generally the case in resource feasibility studies. In addition, we show that diurnal inequalities (governed by K1 and O1 tidal constituents) and tidal asymmetries (governed by the relationship between M2 and its compound tide M4) over the northwest European shelf seas can further affect power generation at potential high-energy sites. Based on these variabilities, the spatial distribution of the tidal-stream ‘capacity factor’ has been calculated. We find that mean peak spring tidal velocities can under-estimate the resource by up to 25%, and that annual practical power generation can vary by ∼15% for regions experiencing similar mean peak spring tidal velocities, due to the influence of other tidal constituents. Therefore, even preliminary resource assessments should be based on annual average power density, rather than peak spring tidal velocity.

Suggested Citation

  • Robins, Peter E. & Neill, Simon P. & Lewis, Matt J. & Ward, Sophie L., 2015. "Characterising the spatial and temporal variability of the tidal-stream energy resource over the northwest European shelf seas," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 510-522.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:147:y:2015:i:c:p:510-522
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2015.03.045
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261915003293
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.apenergy.2015.03.045?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Malki, Rami & Masters, Ian & Williams, Alison J. & Nick Croft, T., 2014. "Planning tidal stream turbine array layouts using a coupled blade element momentum – computational fluid dynamics model," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 46-54.
    2. G. D. Egbert & R. D. Ray, 2000. "Significant dissipation of tidal energy in the deep ocean inferred from satellite altimeter data," Nature, Nature, vol. 405(6788), pages 775-778, June.
    3. Robins, Peter E. & Neill, Simon P. & Lewis, Matt J., 2014. "Impact of tidal-stream arrays in relation to the natural variability of sedimentary processes," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 311-321.
    4. Iyer, A.S. & Couch, S.J. & Harrison, G.P. & Wallace, A.R., 2013. "Variability and phasing of tidal current energy around the United Kingdom," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 343-357.
    5. Manchester, Sebastian & Barzegar, Behzad & Swan, Lukas & Groulx, Dominic, 2013. "Energy storage requirements for in-stream tidal generation on a limited capacity electricity grid," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 283-290.
    6. Ramos, V. & Carballo, R. & Álvarez, M. & Sánchez, M. & Iglesias, G., 2014. "A port towards energy self-sufficiency using tidal stream power," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 432-444.
    7. Neill, Simon P. & Hashemi, M. Reza & Lewis, Matt J., 2014. "The role of tidal asymmetry in characterizing the tidal energy resource of Orkney," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 337-350.
    8. Bryden, Ian G. & Couch, Scott J., 2006. "ME1—marine energy extraction: tidal resource analysis," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 31(2), pages 133-139.
    9. Lewis, M.J. & Neill, S.P. & Hashemi, M.R. & Reza, M., 2014. "Realistic wave conditions and their influence on quantifying the tidal stream energy resource," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 495-508.
    10. Hashemi, M. Reza & Neill, Simon P., 2014. "The role of tides in shelf-scale simulations of the wave energy resource," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 300-310.
    11. Neill, Simon P. & Jordan, James R. & Couch, Scott J., 2012. "Impact of tidal energy converter (TEC) arrays on the dynamics of headland sand banks," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 387-397.
    12. Hashemi, M. Reza & Neill, Simon P. & Robins, Peter E. & Davies, Alan G. & Lewis, Matt J., 2015. "Effect of waves on the tidal energy resource at a planned tidal stream array," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 626-639.
    13. Dupont, B. & De Jonghe, C. & Olmos, L. & Belmans, R., 2014. "Demand response with locational dynamic pricing to support the integration of renewables," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 344-354.
    14. Myers, L.E. & Bahaj, A.S., 2012. "An experimental investigation simulating flow effects in first generation marine current energy converter arrays," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 28-36.
    15. Fairley, Iain & Evans, Paul & Wooldridge, Chris & Willis, Miles & Masters, Ian, 2013. "Evaluation of tidal stream resource in a potential array area via direct measurements," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 70-78.
    16. Neill, Simon P. & Hashemi, M. Reza & Lewis, Matt J., 2014. "Optimal phasing of the European tidal stream resource using the greedy algorithm with penalty function," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 997-1006.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Lewis, M. & Neill, S.P. & Robins, P.E. & Hashemi, M.R., 2015. "Resource assessment for future generations of tidal-stream energy arrays," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 403-415.
    2. Ian Masters & Alison Williams & T. Nick Croft & Michael Togneri & Matt Edmunds & Enayatollah Zangiabadi & Iain Fairley & Harshinie Karunarathna, 2015. "A Comparison of Numerical Modelling Techniques for Tidal Stream Turbine Analysis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 8(8), pages 1-21, July.
    3. Guillou, Nicolas & Thiébot, Jérôme, 2016. "The impact of seabed rock roughness on tidal stream power extraction," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 762-773.
    4. Li, Xiaorong & Li, Ming & Jordan, Laura-Beth & McLelland, Stuart & Parsons, Daniel R. & Amoudry, Laurent O. & Song, Qingyang & Comerford, Liam, 2019. "Modelling impacts of tidal stream turbines on surface waves," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 725-734.
    5. Wei-Bo Chen & Hongey Chen & Lee-Yaw Lin & Yi-Chiang Yu, 2017. "Tidal Current Power Resources and Influence of Sea-Level Rise in the Coastal Waters of Kinmen Island, Taiwan," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-15, May.
    6. Li, Xiaorong & Li, Ming & McLelland, Stuart J. & Jordan, Laura-Beth & Simmons, Stephen M. & Amoudry, Laurent O. & Ramirez-Mendoza, Rafael & Thorne, Peter D., 2017. "Modelling tidal stream turbines in a three-dimensional wave-current fully coupled oceanographic model," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 114(PA), pages 297-307.
    7. Lewis, M. & Neill, S.P. & Robins, P. & Hashemi, M.R. & Ward, S., 2017. "Characteristics of the velocity profile at tidal-stream energy sites," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 114(PA), pages 258-272.
    8. Fairley, I. & Masters, I. & Karunarathna, H., 2015. "The cumulative impact of tidal stream turbine arrays on sediment transport in the Pentland Firth," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 755-769.
    9. Hashemi, M. Reza & Neill, Simon P. & Robins, Peter E. & Davies, Alan G. & Lewis, Matt J., 2015. "Effect of waves on the tidal energy resource at a planned tidal stream array," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 626-639.
    10. Vazquez, A. & Iglesias, G., 2016. "Grid parity in tidal stream energy projects: An assessment of financial, technological and economic LCOE input parameters," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 89-101.
    11. Neill, Simon P. & Vögler, Arne & Goward-Brown, Alice J. & Baston, Susana & Lewis, Matthew J. & Gillibrand, Philip A. & Waldman, Simon & Woolf, David K., 2017. "The wave and tidal resource of Scotland," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 114(PA), pages 3-17.
    12. Neill, Simon P. & Hashemi, M. Reza & Lewis, Matt J., 2016. "Tidal energy leasing and tidal phasing," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 580-587.
    13. Piano, M. & Neill, S.P. & Lewis, M.J. & Robins, P.E. & Hashemi, M.R. & Davies, A.G. & Ward, S.L. & Roberts, M.J., 2017. "Tidal stream resource assessment uncertainty due to flow asymmetry and turbine yaw misalignment," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 114(PB), pages 1363-1375.
    14. Goward Brown, Alice J. & Neill, Simon P. & Lewis, Matthew J., 2017. "Tidal energy extraction in three-dimensional ocean models," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 114(PA), pages 244-257.
    15. Nash, S. & Phoenix, A., 2017. "A review of the current understanding of the hydro-environmental impacts of energy removal by tidal turbines," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 648-662.
    16. Thiébaut, Maxime & Sentchev, Alexei, 2017. "Asymmetry of tidal currents off the W.Brittany coast and assessment of tidal energy resource around the Ushant Island," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 735-747.
    17. Lewis, Matt & McNaughton, James & Márquez-Dominguez, Concha & Todeschini, Grazia & Togneri, Michael & Masters, Ian & Allmark, Matthew & Stallard, Tim & Neill, Simon & Goward-Brown, Alice & Robins, Pet, 2019. "Power variability of tidal-stream energy and implications for electricity supply," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C), pages 1061-1074.
    18. Segura, E. & Morales, R. & Somolinos, J.A., 2018. "A strategic analysis of tidal current energy conversion systems in the European Union," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 527-551.
    19. Roche, R.C. & Walker-Springett, K. & Robins, P.E. & Jones, J. & Veneruso, G. & Whitton, T.A. & Piano, M. & Ward, S.L. & Duce, C.E. & Waggitt, J.J. & Walker-Springett, G.R. & Neill, S.P. & Lewis, M.J. , 2016. "Research priorities for assessing potential impacts of emerging marine renewable energy technologies: Insights from developments in Wales (UK)," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 1327-1341.
    20. Edmunds, Matt & Williams, Alison J. & Masters, Ian & Banerjee, Arindam & VanZwieten, James H., 2020. "A spatially nonlinear generalised actuator disk model for the simulation of horizontal axis wind and tidal turbines," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 194(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:147:y:2015:i:c:p:510-522. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/405891/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.