A Tidal Resource Evaluation-Based Method for Tidal Current Generation Farm Allocation Considering the Directionality of Tidal Currents

Abstract

This article proposes a tidal resource evaluation-based planning method for profitable and reasonable allocations of tidal current generation farms (TCGFs). The directionality and variability of tidal current velocity (TCV) and their correlation are addressed. First, a TCGF power output model is developed. The correlations between tidal current directions and the probability distributions of TCV magnitudes are modeled by rose diagram, and wake effects in TCGFs are simulated by the semi-analytical wake model. Second, a tidal current resource evaluation method is proposed to determine the TCGF's capacity. An optimization planning model is proposed to optimally coordinate tidal current turbine (TCT) micrositing, offshore substation position selection and the ECS planning scheme. The positions of TCTs and substation are modeled by continuous coordinates. The objective is to minimize the levelized cost of energy, subject to the geographical boundary and security operation requirements of the TCGF. Third, the Prufer number-based particle swarm optimization (PN-PSO) algorithm is developed to solve the proposed planning model. The requirements of ECS radial topology and no cable crossings can be fully satisfied. Finally, the measured TCV data collected from Alaska and North Orkney Islands were used to verify the effectiveness and adaptability of the proposed method.