Combined power generation with wind and ocean waves

Abstract

It is often advantageous to generate power with combinations of wind and ocean waves. In fact ocean waves, their generation, propagation, dissipation are directly related to wind velocity and its duration oven the sea. In this paper an attempt has been made to demonstrate statistically to present some advantages with combined wind and ocean wave power generation. Even though many conceptual techniques and methods are possible to harness combined power generation, it is important to test feasibility of combined out put as well as individual outputs mathematically. One of the major advantages of combined wind & wave power generation is to improve probability of continuous power supply (it minimises the interruptions and compensates power fluctuations with one another). Some of the major wave characteristics like wave Height (H), Time period (T), Wave length (L) significantly influence wave power generation. Interestingly, these ocean waves are dependent on wind velocity over ocean. To establish, a relation, a simple mathematical model has been developed to test different sets of combinations with wind velocities and wave characteristics. Statistical analysis has been made to estimate individual as well as combined probability density functions for a range of power outputs. Probability density functions at certain combinations showed promising results and it indicates that, combined power generation improves probability of continuous power supply (i.e. it minimises one of the major criticisms for renewable sources of energy).